and fill it with the chiefe bones 5 Take one of the best shéepe and burne also bones vnder it let it boyle well and let the bones thereof séeth well therein 6 With that saide the Lord God on this maner Wo vnto the bloudy citie to the pot whose scumme is therin and whose scumme is not gone out of it bring it out péece by péece let no lot fall vpon it 7 For her bloud is in the middest of it vpon a high drye stone hath she powred it and not vpon the grounde that it might be couered with dust 8 That it might cause wrath to arise take vengeance I haue set her bloud vpon a highe drye rock that it shoulde not be couered 9 Wherefore thus sayth the Lorde God O wo be vnto the bloudthirstie citie for whom euen I my selfe wyll make a great fyre 10 And heape on much wood and kindle the fyre and séeth the fleshe and spice the pot so that the verie bones shall be brent 11 Moreouer I will sette the pot emptie vpon the coales so that the brasse thereof may be hot and burnt and the filthinesse of it may by molten in it and the scumme of it shall be consumed 12 She hath wearied her selfe wyth labour yet her great scumme is not gone of her in the fyre her scumme must be consumed 13 In thy filthinesse is wickednesse because I would haue purged thée and thou wast not purged from thy filthynesse thou shalt not be purged any more till I haue caused mine indignation to reast in thée 14 Euen I the Lorde haue spoken it yea it is come thereto all readie that I will doe it I will not go backe I will not spare I will not repent but according to thy waies and imaginations shall they iudge thée sayth the Lorde God. 15 And the worde of the Lorde came vnto me saying 16 Thou sonne of man beholde I will take awaye from thée the pleasure of thine eyes with a plague yet shall thou neyther mourne nor wéepe neyther shall thy teares run downe 17 Mourne in silence make no mourning of the deade binde the tyre of thy heade vpon thée and put on thy shoes vpon thy féete couer not thy lips and eate no mans bread 18 So I spake vnto the people betimes in the morning and at euen my wife died then vpon the next morowe I did as I was commaunded 19 And the people saide vnto me Wylt thou not tell vs what this signifieth toward vs that thou doest so 20 I answered them The word of the Lord came vnto me saying 21 Tell the house of Israel thus sayth the Lord God Beholde I will pollute my sanctuarie euen the glorie of your power the pleasure of your eyes your harts delight your fouâ—es and daughters whome ye haue left shal fall through the sworde 22 Lyke as I haue done so shall ye doe also ye shall not couer your lips ye shall eate no mans bread 23 And your tyre shal be vpon your heades and your shoes vpon your féete ye shall neyther mourne nor weepe but ye shall pine away in your iniquities and mourne one towardes another 14 Thus Ezechiel is your shewtoken according to all that he hath done ye shall doe when it commeth then ye shall knowe that I am the Lorde God. 25 Also thou sonne of man shall it not be in the day when I take from them their power the ioy of their honour the pleasure of their eyes the lifting vp of their soules their sonnes and their daughters 26 In that daye shall come one that is escaped vnto thée and bring it to the hearing of thine eares 27 In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped that thou mayst speake be no more dumbe yea thou shalt be their shewetoken that they may knowe howe that I am the Lorde The Exposition vpon the .xxiiij. Chapter of Ezechiel In the ninth yeare in the tenth Moneth the tenth day of the moneth c. THe Prophete being in Babilon foretelleth the time in which the Citie Hierusalem was besieged and by an allegorie of a potte set ouer the fire declareth how the Iewes for their obstinacie should be punished Whereby we also haue to learne what shall * happen to Kingdomes Cities Countreys and priuate men also which contemning the worde of God and often calling by his ministers remaine Obstinate and go on stil in their former wickednesse that is that by Gods iustice they shal come to vtter confusion Though it be a time deferred by Gods pacience and long sufferance * alluring to repentance yet after sundrie warninges at length it falleth in deede and then heape they vpon themselues greater wrath in the day of wrath First the time and verie day is noted which was the ninth yeare of the captiuitie of Iechonias or the reigne of Zedechias the tenth moneth answerable to our December in the tenth day of the moneth on which the king of Babilon came to the siege of Hierusalem as appeareth Hier. 39. .2 Reg. vltiÌ„o cap. The Prophete wrote this in Babilon a great number of miles from Iewrie therefore it maye seeme a great thing in the Prophet that in so large a distance of places before any messenger coulde bring worde thereof he was hable to say in truth This day Hierusalem is besieged As touching the exposition of the allegorie or figuratiue similitude The Potte is the citie Hierusalem The preparing of the pot to the fire is the comming to the siege thereof The Powring of the water is the assault thereof continuing two yeres For it was first besieged in the ninth yeare and taken in the eleuenth The calamitie affliction and trouble is The fire that maketh this pot boyle and bubble The Bones that in steede of wood nourisheth this fire is partly the death and slaughter of many Innocentes whose bloud was shed before time in that cruell Citie and cryed now to God for vengeance as the * bloud of Abell partly the multitude of all their other stubburne wickednesse inflaming the fire of Gods wrath against them The chiefe and principal Peeces of flesh cast into the pot are the Princes and chiefe men of greatest estimation not onely of that Citie but also of all the countrey about which fled thither for feare of spoyle before the siege The Chiefe bones are the strength of the principall Souldiours there appoynted for the defence of the Citie The VVell seething or boiling is the long continuing in the trouble of the siege in which time both strength of Souldiours and might of Princes within the Citie shoulde be consumed The Fome remayning still in the pot is the filthie froth of wickednesse and abhomination yet in all the boyling of this trouble remayning among them euen to the sight of all men and not Scummed away by Repentance When the Prophete sayth Bring it out peece by peece he signifieth that they shal not Al together be taken out
many nations all the remnant of the people shall spoyle thée because of mens bloud and for the wrong done in the lande in the Citie and vnto all that dwell therein 9 Wo to him that coueteth an euil couetousnesse to his house that he may set his nest on hie to escape from the power of euill 10 Thou hast consulted shame to thine owne house by destroying many people and hast sinned agaynst thine owne soule 11 For the stone shall crie out of the wall and the beame out of the tymber shall answere it 12 Wo vnto him that buyldeth a towne with bloud and erecteth a citie by iniquitie 13 Beholde is it not of the Lord of hostes that the people shall labour in the verye fire the people shall euen wearie themselues for verie vanitie 14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glorie of the Lorde as the waters couer the sea 15 Wo vnto him that giueth his neighbour drinke thou ioynest thy rage and makest him drunken also that thou mayst sée their priuities 16 Thou art filled with shame for glorie drinke thou also and be made naked the cuppe of the Lordes right hande shall be turned vnto thée and shamefull spuing shall be for thy glorie 17 For the crueltie of Libanus shall couer thée so shall the spoyle of the beastes which he made afrayde because of mens bloud and for the wrong done in the lande in the citie and vnto all that dwell therein 18 What profiteth the Image for the maker thereof hath made it an Image and a teacher of lies though he that made it trust therein when he maketh dumbe Idols 19 Wo vnto him that sayth to the wood Awake and to the dumbe stone Rise vp it shall teach thee beholde it is layde ouer with golde and siluer and there is no breath in it 20 But the Lorde is in his holy temple let all the earth kéepe silence before him The Exposition vpon the. 2. Chapter of Habacuc I will stande vpon my watch and set me vpon the tower and will looke and. c. THe Prophet Habacuc in the first Chapiter had comforted the Iewes liuing both in great oppression vnder the wicked king Manasses and also being sore afflicted by the power of the Chaldees But some of the people of God considering the great and * long prosperitie of the wicked enemies of God beganne to * stagger in their faith and halfe to mistrust the prouidence of God as though he did neglect his people And for that cause quarelled with the Prophet and desired some resolution of their doubtfull mindes herein Therefore in the beginning of this Chapiter he sayeth He will stande vpon his watch tower and see what God vvill say vnto him and what answere he may make to them that did in such manner rebuke him and quarrell with him By The watchtower hee vnderstandeth a more deepe and earnest consideration and meditation of the misteries of Gods prouidence wherein his minde was lifted vp aboue the capacitie of mans common reason and was stayed vp by the declaration of Gods holy wil reuealed in his worde The Prophet being in this VVatchtower sayth The Lorde answered him that is that God by his holye spirite reuealed to him that he should VVrite a vision and that so playnely and in so great letters that a man running by in haste might reade it In that the Prophet so easily obtaineth answere of God wee also are taught that when with earnest Meditation and Prayer we seeke to vnderstande the will of God and what is best for vs to doe He will not faile by his grace to lighten our mindes to the vnderstanding therof If thou seeke vnderstanding saith Salomon as siluer and search it out as great treasure thou shalt vnderstande the feare of the Lord and finde out the knowledge of God. The summe of this vision is that those prowde Chaldies which did so afflict his people and glorie in their owne strength notwithstanding that they did seeme for the time to prosper and to be a scourge to other yet in short space by Gods iust iudgement for their wickednesse should be brought to cōfusion and made a laughing stock to the worlde This answere God willeth the Prophete to Set vp in writing that all his people might see it and reade it to their assured comforte When the Prophet addeth The vision is yet for an appointed time but at the last it shall speake and not lye and though it taried yet it shoulde assuredly come and not stay c. He meaneth that the contentes of the vision should not forthwith be fulfilled but after a certaine space and therefore willeth them paciently to abide the time for that vndoubtedlye in the ende it shoulde come to passe And so in deed was it fulfilled about 70. yeares after the destruction of Hierusalem and leading of the people captiue into Babilon At which time Cyrus tooke and spoyled Babilon and transferred the Empire to the Persians Beholde he that lifteth vp himselfe his minde is not vpright in him But c. He sayth the Prophet that lifteth vp his minde vpon confidence trust of his owne deuises helpe and strength and thereby thinketh that he shall be safe agaynst all mutabilitie of fortune or other daunger that maye come shall neuer haue sure quietnesse tranquilitie of minde but euer be tossed to fro with newe deuises For God will * frustrate the counsayles of such persons But the good iust man which with an assured fayth* stayeth himselfe vpon the worde and promises of God in all daungers both worldely and spirituall shall not fayle of tranquilitie and quietnesse of minde For he hath the vnfallible truth the almightie power of God whereon he resteth Wherfore by this verse the Prophete willeth the people to * lay aside all confidence of worldely helpe and to rest onelye in Gods truth and his promises This sentence is not onely to be applyed to worldly afflictions and cares but also and especially to the tormentes of conscience agaynst sinne and Satan and all our spirituall enemies and so doth Saint Paule vse Galat. 3. Yea in deede the prowde man is as he that transgresseth by wine therfore shall c. Here the Prophete beginneth to declare what shall come to the Empire of Babilon of the Chaldees together with the causes wherwith God was mooued thereto The prowde man sayth he that is the prowde and ambitious Babilonian is like to a drunken man that hath passed all measure in drinking of wine As in the Drunkarde the vapours of the wine ascendinge to the heade so trouble the braine and taketh away the right vse of sense and reason that without shame or measure he runneth headlong to all filthinesse and the more he hath powred in the more still he desireth to drink Euen so the prowde and * ambicious spirite of the Babilonian doth so trouble his minde with vaine imaginations
THe first verse conteynetâ— the tytle which briefly noteth what the thing is by whome it was vttered agaynst what place and people and in what time It is a vision that is a prophesie or reuelation declared by almightie God and therefore not to be esteemed as any maâ—s deuise and vttered by Esaias the sonne of Amos descending of the royall lyne of the kings of Iuda Who prophecied in the raignes of Ozias Ioathan Achas and Ezechias as it may be thought by the space of fourescore yeares And vttered this prophecie agaynst the nation of Iurie and Hierusalem the chiefe and royall citie thereof that is to say against that Nation that God had chosen of all other for his peculier people and had mainteyned and preserued it with great benefites and yet nowe was fallen from his true worshippe vnto Idolatrie sinne and wickednesse And therefore sayth he Heare O heauens and hearken O earth for the Lorde hath spoken c. That he may the more earnestly mooue that dul and hard harted people he beginneth with a tragicall exclamation and calleth heauen earth to witnesse agaynst them as if he had sayde Forsomuch as the vnthankfulnesse and wicked stubburnnesse of this people is such as they will giue no eare to the worde of God earnestly calling them to repentaunce I turne my speeche to you O heauens and speake to thee O earth Though heauen be 〈◊〉 of yet â—â—ely it will heare though the earth be hard and stonie yet it will relent and be moued but this people will not bend this Nation will by no meanes be reclaymed * Yea they are more dull and vnâ—â—nsible in the vnderstanding of Gods will and of his great goodnesse toward them than the 〈…〉 beastes are For what Oxe doth not from 〈◊〉 himselfe to his mayster that keepeth him What Asse doth not acknowledge and looue those that feede him But my people sayth the Lord whom I haue cherished whome I haue * fostered as my * children with all care and tendernesse do not onely with vnthankfull mindes forget my benefites but with stonie and stubburne heartes refuse to heare my calling and in all maner of wickednesse bende themselues against me and striue to prouoke my wrath and indignation agaynst them Whie should ye be stricken any more for ye are euer falling away c. From the beginning of the fift verse to the tenth he doth greatly amplifie their wayward stubburnnesse declaring that as they could not be woonne to repentance nor mooued to turne to their gracious Lorde by consideration of his exceeding great benefites towarde them so neyther could they be reclaymed nor anye thing at all mooued with the grieuous plagues and punishmentes which to that onely purpose as a mercifull father he had brought vppon them but rather by the same hys plagues they increased in stubburnnesse waxed euery day worse than other And therfore sayth he To what ende should I plague or scourge you with aduersitie any further seeing your obstinacie is such as you will increase in wickednesse and still heape sinne vpon sinne and offence vpon offence The Realme of Iurie may well be resembled to a mans bodie the heade and heart whereof is the Citie Hierusalem and the King and Princes with the residue of the inhabitants thereof and the other cities and townes as the inferiour members All which I haue grieuously touched with my seuere iustice and sharpe punishments so that from the * crowne of the head to the sole of the foote from the highest Citie to the lowest Village from the noblest person to the basest subiect there is none but he hath felt the bitter smart thereof and that in such sort as no Phisition is hable to cure or heale their festured sores that is nor King nor Counsaylour nor Prince nor Priest nor Prophete can helpe the miserie of this kingdome and restore it to the prestinate state and integritie againe Their lande lyeth waste their Cities are burnt with fire straungers possesse their Countrey their possessions are spoyled their royall Citie Hierusalem is left desolate as a lodge in a vineyard or a Cotage in a Cucumber garden that hath no house neere vnto it their people are slaine their glorie decaied their strength consumed yea if the Lorde of hys great mercy had not * left theÌ„ some coÌ„fort through the promised séede of Messiah their desolation had beene euen as the destruction of Sodome and Gomorrha and yet I say all this notwithstanding are their hearts nothing mooued to repent or to turne to the Lorde for mercie Heare the worde of the Lorde ye Lordes of Sodoma and hearken c. And for that they did flatter themselues in the middes of this great wickednesse with a vaine opinion of hypocriticall iustice and superstitious worshipping of God as thoughe by suche meanes they should winne his fauour towarde them The Lorde plainly sheweth that he doth lothe and abhorre their sacrifices and offerings their festiuall dayes and their solempne meetinges yea though they were commaunded by his owne lawe so long as they were voyde of * inwarde holinesse of heart and minde and distayned with sinne and wickednesse both before God and the worlde In which place the more to mooue them almightie God seemeth to labour with diuersitie of woordes to lette them vnderstande how little account he maketh of such externall worshipping being destitute of true holinesse right worshipping in spirite in truth VVhy offer you sayth he so many sacrifices c. I am full of them I haue no pleasure in them VVho required them at your hands Offer no more It is but lost labour It is * abhominable vnto me I may not away with them They are wicked I hate them They make me weary I cannot abide them I will not heare your prayers I will turne mine eyes from you By all which wordes God sheweth how little he regardeth hipocrisie where true holinesse waÌ„teth Then from the sixtenth verse to the .xxj he sheweth what is the right way to winne his fauour Make you cleane sayth he put away your wicked thoughts and deuises Ceasse from doing euil Learne to do good Applie your selues to equitie Deliuer the oppressed Helpe the fatherlesse Heare the widowes complaint For these are the true fruites of right repentance And then If your sinnes were as red as scarlet in token that you had deserued bloud and confusion they shall be as white as snow in testimonie that by Gods mercie ye be cleared from them This if you will doe the Lorde will looke fauourably on you and prosper you but if you continue obstinate and rebellious as hytherto you haue done the sworde of Gods wrath shal vtterly deuour you for his owne mouth hath spoken it and therefore thinke not that it is mans worde onely How happeneth it then that the faithfull Citie which was full of equitie c. From the .xxj. to the
15 And vpon euery highe tower and vpon euery fenced wall 16 And vpon all the shippes of Tharsis and vpon all pictures of pleasure 17 And the pride of man shall bée brought downe and the loftinesse of men shall be made low and the Lorde alone shall be exalted in that day 18 As for the Idols he shall vtterly abholishe 19 And they shall créepe into holes of stone and into caues of the earth for feare of the Lorde and for the glorie of hys maiestie when he ariseth to destroy the vvicked ones of the earth 20 In the selfe same day shall man cast away his Gods of siluer his Gods of golde into the holes of Mowles and backes which he neuerthelesse had made to him selfe to honour them 21 And they shall créepe into the cliftes of the rockes and into the toppes of the harde stones for feare of the Lorde and for the glorie of his maiestie when he ariseth to destroy the vvicked ones of the earth 22 Ceasse therefore from man in whose nosthrilles there is breath for wherein is he to be accounted of The exposition vpon the seconde Chapter of Esay The selfe same word that Esay the sonne of Amos saw vpon Iuda c. IN the first verse is conteyned the same matter that was in the first of the Chapter before In the three next verses Esay prophecieth of the kingdome of Christ the aduauncement of his Church and the conuersion of the Gentiles that shoulde be in the latter dayes that is when the ceremoniall law and the figures and sacrifices appoynted by Moises should haue an end in the truth of the very Messiah Christ Iesu the sauiour of the worlde The Temple of Hierusalem was buylded by Solomon vppon mount Sion and was the onely chosen place where God would be specially woorshipped and serued so that in sundrie places of the Psalmes it is sayd that The Lord had chosen * Sion for his habitation bicause of the Arke of his presence there in the temple reserued For this cause in the scriptures Sion and Hierusalem are taken for the type and figure of the true Church of God vnder Christ As saint Paule to the Hebrues You are come to the mounte Sion and to the Citie of the lyuing God the celestiall Hierusalem and to an innumerable companie of aungels and vnto the congregation of the first borne That is to say to the blessed Church of Christ Wherefore in this place by the Hyll of the Lordes house that is mount Sion is ment the Church of Christ the congregation of the faythfull which at the comming of Christ should be aduaunced aboue all the kingdomes of the earth and enlarged with great glorie by the conuersion of the Gentiles from their Idolatrie to the fayth of Christ throughout the whole worlde The glorie and aduauncement of the Church which is here so highly spoken of muste not bee thought to consist in the honour power and riches of the worlde wherein the Church is alway contemptible but in the heauēly doctrine strong faith true worshipping of God charitie patience constancie and all Godly giftes of grace which meruelously shined in the Godly fathers and first professours of christian Religion that followed after Christ in all Nations and Countreys of the earth For as Christes kingdome is spirituall so is the glorie of the same spirituall and not worldly When the Prophete sayth Come let vs ascende to the hill of the Lorde he to the reproofe of the Iewes doth note the readinesse and willingnesse of the Gentiles in whose person this is spoken not only to imbrace the fayth of Christ themselues but also cheerefully to encourage other to the same Which may appeere in this that by the preaching of the Apostles within thirtie yeares as Eusebius sayth all the Nations of the earth were woonne to the fayth of Christ and the receyuing of his Gospell And he will instruct vs in his wayes Hereby is to be noted that the chiefe care and studie of the true church of Christ ought to be in the instructing of his people what his wayes are and not to leade thē into mens fantasies or into their own deuises Out of Sion shall come a lawe and the worde of the lord c. The law of grace and truth that is the Gospell of christ Iesu * began first in Hierusalem There christ preached in the Temple there he wrought many miracles * there he sent downe the holyghost vpon his Apostles From * thence he sent his messengers and preachers of his Gospell into all partes of the worlde to reforme the people and bring them by repentance from Idolatrie and wickednesse to the true worshipping of God and vertuous conuersation of life that is to make them subiectes to the kingdome of Christ They shall breake their swoordes into mattocks and their speares c. As the Gospell is a doctrine of reconciliation and peace making betweene God and vs through Christ Iesu our sauiour so doth it pacifie and quiet men among themselues also In so much that they which be the true members of the kingdome of Christ doe not vse to striue by fighting and warre for their priuate quarelles but liue togither in vnitie loue and concorde Or if any doe otherwise it is a great burthen to their consciences and an euident note of their imperfection Insomuch as they shew themselues not to haue that * badge or cognizance whereby the seruauntes and subiectes of Christes kingdome are knowne And yet doth not this place prohibite Princes and Magistrates to make warre for the maintenance of iustice and godlinesse For they haue the sworde put into their handes by God whose ministers they are for the defence of them which are cōmitted to their charge the widowe the fatherlesse and the poore and innocent oppressed Come ye O house of Iacob and let vs walk in the light of the Lorde In this fift verse the Prophete by emulation of the Gentiles prouoketh the Iewes vnder the name of the house of Iacob to imbrace the fayth of Christ and walke in the light of his Gospell As if he had sayd Beholde straungers whom we esteemed as a foolish people that alway worshipped Idols and liued in all vncleannesse with how great desire forsake they their Idols and seeke after the true God Are not we ashamed that we are the last that are ioyned to Christ and his Church To vs the law was giuen to vs the Prophetes preached Christ was borne among vs he is our heritage come let vs imbrace him if we glorie to be of the house and posteritie of Iacob it should be assured to vs that Christ is that promised seede For Iacob prophecied Hunc fore expectationē Gentium that he should be the expectation of the Gentiles now you see our father Iacobs promise fulfilled c. Let vs walke therefore in this light of the Lorde for this Sauior is the true light But as Christ sayth
in the thirde of S. Iohns Gospell This is the coÌ„demnation that the light came into the world and the worlde loued darkenesse more then light Wherefore in the foure next verses the Prophet foreseing the obstinacie of the Iewes in refusing Christ and their delightin witches sorcerers and soothsayers more than the superstitious Chaldees and Philistines and the confidence in their ryches and strength of horses and chariots and trust in forraine friendes and woorshipping of Idols foreseeing I say all these thinges and also that the secrete but iuste iudgement of God for the same had giuen them ouer he saith he wil not pray to god for them but leaueth them to his iustice and desireth him not to pardon them their obstinacie and wickednesse Therefore forgiue them not sayth he Get thee into the rocke and hide thee in the grounde for feare of the Lord c. The Prophete doth here insult vpon the stubburne Iewes as if he had sayde Oh you wicked generation seeke refuge if you can in the rocke seeke corners to hide you in the caues of the earth and though you doe finde such places you shall not scape from the wrath indignation of god Yea if you were shut vp and inclosed in a rocke the iustice of God woulde finde you out and plague you for your sinnes And not you onely but all the proude of the earth who in the glorie and securitie of their wealth set vp their faces against the liuing god Were they as high as the Ceders of Lybanus yea or any mountaines in the whole earth Were they as strong and stiffe necked as the Okes of Basan Were they of as great force as fenced Castelles and Towers or as gorgeous as the ships of Tharsis or as highe minded and loftie as Lucifer The mightie Lord of hostes shall putte them downe and make them bende and his glory onely shall be aduaunced in the day of his wrath As for your Idoles they shall be destroyed and brought to confusion and your selues that haue made them your gods and put your trust and confidence and your whole delight in them shall see so little helpe of your miserie by them that you shal be ashamed of them and cast them into holes cliftes of rockes to hide them and your owne grosse folly from the face and maiestie of the Lorde Therefore leaue of the trust and confidence that you haue conceyued in your selues or in anye strength of man and put your trust in the Lorde alone For mans life is brickle and fraile euen as the breath passing out of the nosthrils Out of this Chapiter are these lessons to be learned 1. First wee haue to learne the authoritie and truth of Gods holy word and his Prophets which so many hundred yeares before did so euidentlye tell of the kingdome of Christ the conuersion of the Gentiles the reiecting of the Iewes which from the beginning had bene accounted the chosen people of God. 2 Secondly that the chiefe studie of the church of Christ ought to bee to instruct the people of God in his wayes and on the other part that it is their duetie that associate themselues vnto the Church not onely to learne his wayes but also to walke in his pathes and to declare their profession in the behauiour of their life 3 Thirdely that they which be the Citizens of the heauenly Hierusalem and the true members of the Church of Christ vse not by strife and contention fighting and warre to seeke one the hurt of the other but studie to liue together in vnitie and concorde charitie and brotherly loue as the children of one father and heyres of one kingdome 4 Fourthly that we beware least through our obstinate refusing of the Gospell of Christ we be giuen ouer by almightie God and cast into perpetual induration and vtter confusion as the Iewes were in whome we see euen to this day a dreadfull example of Gods seuere iustice 5 Fiftly that witchcraft sorcerie soothsaying and confidence in worldly strength and riches are odious to almightie GOD for that these things doe leade men from that trust and confidence that they should haue in God alone and turne the glorie of God vnto creatures which is directly agaynst the first commaundement The seconde Sunday in Aduent at Morning prayer Esay 5. NOwe will I sing my beloued friend a song of my friend touching his vineyarde My beloued friende hath a vineyarde in a verye fruitfull plenteous ground 2 This he hedged and gathered out the stones from it and planted it with the choysest vine In the middes of it builded he a tower also made a wine presse therein and he looked that it should bring him grapes and it brought forth wilde grapes 3 Nowe O Citizen of Hierusalem and man of Iuda iudge I pray thée betwixt me and my vineyarde 4 What more coulde haue bene done for it that I haue not done wherfore then hath it giuen wilde grapes where I looked to haue had grapes of it 5 Well nowe I shall tell you howe I will doe with my vineyarde I will take the hedge from it that it may perish and breake downe the wall therof that it may be troden vnder foote 6 I will lay it waste it shall neither be digged nor cut but beare thornes and briers I will also forbed the clowdes that they shall not raine vpon it 7 As for the vineyard of the Lord of hostes it is the house of Israell and the man of Iuda the plant of his pleasure Of these he looked for equitie but sée there is oppression for righteousnesse and lo it is a crying 8 Wo vnto them that ioyne one house to another and bring one lande so nie vnto another that there is no more place Will ye be placed alone in the middes of the earth 9 These things are in the eares of the Lorde of hostes of a truth great and fayre houses shall be without any dweller in them 10 And ten acres of vines shall giue but a quarl and thirtie bushels of séede shall giue but an Ephâ—â— 11 Wo be vnto them that rise vp earely to follow â—â—kennesse continuing vntill night till they be set on fire with wine 12 In their feastes are harpes and lutes tabrets and pipes and wine but they regarde not the worke of the Lorde and consider not the operation of his handes 13 Therefore commeth my folke into captiuitie bicause they haue no vnderstanding Their glorie is familyâ—â— with hunger and their multitude dried vp with thirst 14 Therefore gapeth hell and openeth hit mouth maruelous wide that their glorie multitude and wealth with such as reioyce in her may descende into it 15 Thus hath man a fall and is brought low and the high looke of the prowde shall be layde downe 16 But the Lorde of hostes shal be exalted in iudgement and God that is holy is sanctified in righteousnesse 17 Then shall the shéepe eate as they were woont and the rich
the faythfull in that day may comfort themselues and arme their consciences agaynst the temptation and offence rissing in the world by the prosperitie and successe of the wicked For where before it is promised that Christ in his kingdome shall take away all mourning sorowe and weeping from his people and deliuer them from all miserie and oppression and contrarywise that he will threshe downe the wicked to dust to them that looke into the outwarde face of the world and as naturall men onely consider the thing it may seeme to be all cleane contrary aâ—d the wicked to flourishe and prosper in all felicitie and the good and godly to be kept vnder in shame sorow and miserie As it appeareth in the * Parable of good poore Lazarus and the riche prowde glutton Agaynst this offence as I haue sayde doth the Prophete here arme and comfort the people of God. The first comfort is this VVe haue a strong Citie saluation shall God appoynt in steede of walles and Bulwarkes That is howsoeuer the couÌ„tenaunce of the worlde seemeth towarde vs howsoeuer the wicked seeme to be in great strength and glorie and we in great weakenesse and miserie yet haue we a strong Citie a mightie Citie the Church of God the heauenly Hierusalem in which the Lorde God himselfe our saluation is in steede of VValles and Bulwarkes agaynst all the pride and strength of the worlde as he sayth also by hys Prophete Zacharie 2. I will be a fierie wall rounde about them and a glorie in the middes of them This Citie is the Church the foundation thereof is Christ and his doctrine the walles and bulwarkes the might and maiestie of Christ agaynst which the gates of Hell and all the * powers of Sathan cannot preuaile The gates to enter into this Citie is the preaching of the Gospell and that not in one place onely but in all places of the worlde and wheresoeuer the Gospell is preached there is a gate to enter into this Citie of god The way to enter is by fayth to embrace the gospell of Christ The Citizens that doe enter are all faithfull which are * iustifyed by fayth in the bloud of Christ And of them is it that he speaketh in the seconde verse Open you the gate that the righteous people may enter in c. Wherefore when these gates be opened by the messengers of God and preachers of his gospell let all that tender their health and saluation make speede to receyue it that they may enter into this Citie where onely the sure strength of God is for euer more to saue and deliuer For he hath brought downe the high minded Citizens as for the prowde c. This is the seconde argument of consolation in this Psalme to stirre vp the people of God to confidence and constancie agaynst the tentation before mentioned For he describeth how mightily Christ ouerthroweth the wicked that seeme to themselues and to the worlde to bee in greatest glorie and felicitie He hath pulled downe sayth he the high minded Citizens This is it that the blessed virgine speaketh in her song He hath deposed the mightie from their seate and hath exalted the humble and meeke And yet was not shee that spake thus of her selfe greatly exalted in sight of the worlde but remayned simple and poore But in the kingdome of Christ and in heauenly glorie before God she was exalted to a very high degree and contrariwise the enimies of the Gospell and the prowde of the worlde that is the obstinate Iewes and other aduersaries were in the same respect throwne downe and afterwarde also in the worlde by gods mightie hand grieuously plagued The path of equitie wylt thou graunt vnto the iust O thou most righteous c. The right way and the path of equitie which Christ our Lorde graunteth to his subiectes is the preaching of his gospell in that must they walke that will go the streight way to heauen All other waies be but errours and wicked seducings what countenance soeuer be set vpon them Therefore say the sayntes of God In the way of thy iudgementes O Lorde that is in the truth of thy Gospell haue we put our trust in thee thy name also and the remembraunce of thee is the thing that our soule longeth for and that not once in a yeare * but day and night continually For then onely may men learne iustice truely when thy iudgements are in the earth that is when thy doctrine and Gospell is preached sincerely and truely This place is diligently to be noted that we may thereby be more inflamed to the whole some doctrine of the Gospell For the most part thinke it a matter smally apperteining to them and turne ouer the care thereof to Ministers and such olde men as can do little else then come to the Church and heare preachinges and are as they say past the worlde And they themselues followe theyr worldly businesses their Marchandies their husbandrie and other occupations and feele nothing at all that longing and greedie desire of god and his Gospell that the prophet here speaketh of Shal the vngodly man be fauoured which hath not learned righteousnesse c. Shall grace mercie be offered to the wicked shal the Gospel be preached shal remission of sinne in Christ Iesu shall the fauour of God and eternall life be declared vnto them when as they will not learne to doe iustice they will not amend they will not accept the mercy of God But although the euen plaine and smooth waye of Gods holye worde be offered them yet will they still wander after theyr owne pathes to errour and * vngodlynesse and will not see the glory of the Lorde Lorde when thy hande is lift vp to strike they see it not but they shall see it c. That is when thy mightie hande is lifted vp in the meruelous woorkes of glorifying thy sonne by miracles by his woonderfull resurrection from the dead by the sending of the holyghost by publishing of the Gospell throughout the worlde and by thy heauie plagues threatned to all the * refusers therof they yet will not see and vnderstande it But when that the same Christ thy sonne shall come in his maiestie and reueale his glorie to the whole worlde then shall the wicked contemners of christ be ashamed in such sort that they shall * pine away with enuie of those things that they shal see to happen to the people of God and be deuoured and consumed with eternall fyre Lorde vnto vs thou shalt prouide peace for thou also hast wrought c. Before he had spoken of the wicked but nowe he addeth the other part of the contrary comparison what shall be done to the faythfull and godly As if he had sayde The vngodly shall be ashamed and pine away and be consumed with fyre but vnto vs the faythfull and godly our Lorde and Sauiour Christ giueth * peace that
Ye shall destroy also the couering of your siluer Images and the decking of your golden Idols euen as filthinesse shalt thou put them away and thou shalt say vnto it Get thée hence 23 Then shall God giue raine vnto thy séede that thou shalt sow the ground withall and breade of the increase of the earth which shall be fat and very plenteous in that day also shall thy cattell be fed in large pastures 24 The oxen likewise and the yong Asses that eare the ground shall eate cleane prouender which is purged wyth the winde and the fan 25 Finally vpon euery hie mountaine and hill shall there be riuers and streames of waters in the day of the great slaughter when the towers fall 26 Moreouer the light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sunne and the Sunne light shall be seuen folde and haue as much shine as in seuen dayes beside when the Lord bindeth vp the fore of his people and healeth the stroke of their wounde 27 Beholde the fame of the Lorde commeth from farre and his presence is so hote that no man is able to abide his lippes are full of indignation his tongue is as 〈◊〉 fire 28 His breath is a vehement flood of water that reacheth vp to the neck that he may sift away the heathen in the â—ine of vanitie and his breath is a bridle of errour in the rawes of the people â–ª 29 And ye shall sing like 〈◊〉 in the night when the holy solemnitie beginneth and ye shall haue gladnesse of hart like as when one commeth with 〈…〉 he hill of the Lorde and to the most mightie one 〈…〉 And the Lorde shall cause his glorious voles to be hearde and shall declare his stretched ouâ— arme with a terrible countenauncee and with the flame of a consuming fire with noysome lightning with a showre and with hayle stones 31 For through the voyce of the Lorde shall Assur be destroyed which 〈◊〉 other men with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it shal come to passe that whither soeuer he goeth the rod shall rleaue vnto him which the Lorde shall lay vpon him with tabrets and harpes and with great warre shall he fight agaynst his host 33 For the fire of hell is ordeyned from the beginning yea euen for the king is it prepared this hath the Lorde set in the déepe and made it wyde the burning wherof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lorde which is like a riuer of brimstone doth kindle it The exposition vpon the .30 Chapter of Esay Alas for those disobedient children sayth the Lorde that they will take c. AT what tyme the Assirians vnder * Senacherib in the tyme of Ezechias inuaded Iurie and put Hierusalem in great feare * many of the Princes and people were verye earnest to haue selâ—â— for succour into Egypt â–ª and might hardly be perswaded otherwise And 〈◊〉 they were commaunded by God in their distresse to put their trust in him and not seke helpe at the heathen and godlesse people that were 〈…〉 Esay in this 〈…〉 from that put 〈◊〉 and sayth 〈…〉 dicut children sayth the Lorde that contemning my worde whereby I haue promised them helpe agaynst the Assirians will 〈◊〉 followe theyr owne 〈…〉 of my holy spirite seeke ayde of straungâ—â—â— for their defence and so adde 〈◊〉 vpon sinnes not onely disobeying my worde in taking that aduice but stubburnely refusing my calling back from the execution 〈◊〉 purpose They 〈…〉 and confidence that they shoulde haue in me and follow their owne counsayle and seeke their owne strength by the power of the * Aegyptians But that vaine shadow of Pharoes power and the Aegyptians shall be their confusion Yea they sende theyr Princes in ambassage to the farremost partes of Aegypt that is to Zoan Hanes with rich presentes and giftes in seruile maner to craue ayde of a godlesse people that shall neyther be willing nor * hable to helpe them The burthen of the beastes of the South In a lande of trouble c. The Prophete doth not onely reprooue theyr doyng but amplifyeth their follie shewing that they take great and daungerous iourneyes with their beastes lâ—aden wyth treasure to passe into Aegypt through the wildernesse which is here noted by the lande of anguish and trouble and by the wayes were assaulted by Lyons and other wilde beastes â–ª and 〈◊〉 with great hurt and daunger And all to bie the helpe of them that â—â—re not hable to succour them whereas they might haue had the readie helpe of God at home If according to his worde and preaching of his Prophete they would haue called vpon him and put their trust in hims Nowe therefore go thy way write this before them in a table c. These wordes be spoken in the person of God to the Prophete willing him to write this prophesie and to set it in the sight of the people that it might remain for an euerlasting memorie against them and that all ages might thereby vnderstand what an * obstinate stubburne and waywarde people this was that by no preaching or teaching of the Prophetes of GOD could be withdrawne from their vnfaythfull deuises For they say vnto the Seers Se not and to them that be cleare c. By the name of Seers and those that vnderstand he meaneth the Prophetes and Preachers that God had sent vnto them In this place therefore Esay painteth forth the waywarde obstinacie and contempt of Gods worde before mentioned In so much that they did not only turne away their eies their eares and all their sences from the doctrine of his truth but also derided the same and desired to haue it vtterly rooted out and taken away Of which virulent furie of the wicked ryseth all affliction persecution and trouble against the prophets and messengers of god For when once they can not abide the truth then seeke they all meanes to * vexe them by whome it is offered and brought vnto them Looke not out right thinges for vs but speake fayre wordes vnto vs c. It cannot be thought that any people can be so obstinately blinded that they will with so * open wordes * protest that they will not here the truth vnder the name of the truth or that they will with plaine wordes desire to be deceiued and be led into errour by flatterie but rather with a countenaunce of hypocrisie will detest the truth vnder the name of falsehood and errour because it is to them sharpe and vnpleasaunt and vnder the name of truth and godlinesse desire to haue * erronr and falsehoode beeyng to them more pleasaunt and acceptable because it is more * agreeing to theyr fantasies But the Prophete here pulleth of their visarde and letteth them be seene as they are inwardely in heart and mynde in deede abhorring the truth Wherefore thus sayth the holy one of Israell Because your heartes rise c.
their heartes that they cannot perceyue 19 They 〈◊〉 not in their mindes for they haue neyther knowledge nor vnderstanding to thinke thus I haue brent one péece in the fire I haue baked bread with the coles thereof I haue rosted flesh withall and eaten it and I will now of the residue make an abhominable Idoll fall downe before a rotten péece of 〈◊〉 20 Thus doth he but lose his labour 〈…〉 turne him aside so that 〈…〉 to thinke Do not 〈…〉 Israel 〈…〉 serue me O them backwarde and make their cunning foolishnesse 26 He doth set vp the purpose of his seruant and fulfilleth the counsayle of his messengers concerning Hierusalem he sayth it shall be inhabited and of the Cities of Iuda they shal be builded againe and I will repayre their decayed places 27 He sayth to the depth Be drie and I will drie vp water flouds 28 He sayth of Cyrus he is my heardman so that he shall fulfill all thinges after my will he sayth also of Hierusalem It shall be builded and of the temple It shall be fast grounded The exposition vpon the. 44. Chapter of Esay But heare now O Iacob my seruant and Israel whom I haue chosen c. FOrsomuche as God in the ende of the former Chapter had charged his people with Sinne and grieuous 〈◊〉 and that for the same some 〈◊〉 should come vpon them by their captiuitie in Babilon Here in thys place he doth adde sweete words and a gentle and mercifull mitigation comfort saying as it were Albeit grieuous 〈◊〉 shall come vpon thee being led away captiue 〈◊〉 Babilon yet heare now what I thy Lorde and 〈◊〉 that haue * 〈◊〉 and preserued thée by my diuine prouidence euen from thy mothers wombe will doe for thée my chosen seruant Albeit thou Iacob art nothing in thy selfe and that no nobilitie in thee or worthinesse 〈◊〉 deliuer thee from this wrath and great calamitie yet the adoption and choyse that I thy heauenly father of my meere mercie in my Sonne the Melsias Sauiour haue vouchedsafe to make of thee man be of sufficient force to deliuer thee and to turne all the benefites of the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes vpon thee that is not onely thy wonderfull dispatch out of Babilon but also the watering with the knowledge of the true doctrine of Saluation and the gift of my holy spirite whereby thou and all those that by fayth shall shewe themselues to be thy true posterity and of the number of mine elect shall grow and prosper in all goodnesse submitting their selues to the profession of my holye name Therefore * feare not nor flit not from my true worshipping to the Seruice of the Idols of Babilō 〈…〉 〈…〉 in face of the worlde Wherefore I say againe be not afrayde I haue tolde you and warned you before Put your trust in me All caruers of Images are but vaine and the carued Images that they loue c. Vnto the ende of the twenteth verse In this seconde part of the Chapter GOD doth sharpely and grieuously reprooue and at large scornefully deride the fonde blindenesse and furious rage and madnesse of those that make Gods Idols or Images for themselues to worship And as it is pleasant in this place to consider how he painteth out the busie vanitie of them that make the Idols and the fonde and importunate desire of those that long for them and the vnsensible grossenesse of such as be giuen to the worship of them Euen so may it seeme horrible in the sight of God and man that man indued with reason and the most honorable creature of god should euer fal to so extreme Blindenesse as that he will aduenture with his owne handes to make him a God or an Image to worship as god But some will say no man was euer so blinde to thinke the images Gods or to worship them as Gods and so crie the Papistes at this day for their defence and say they haue Iniurie when they be so charged And yet surely is their defence herein no better than the defence of the Heathen and Gentiles whom God here thus mocketh and reprooueth For they had the same answeres and pretences and yet is it euident that both the one and the other do so rage in their madnesse that so soone as they be made by a Mortall wicked and Sinfull man they thinke them to haue a certain deuine Grace in them and therefore doe they Cap and kneele vnto them call vpon them Burne incense and set vp candels and other giftes before them and runne Hundreds of myles to worship them And if they shoulde shewe and declare to the world the very True worship to the Liuing God they could not set it out by more euident meanes Wherfore dearely beloued earnestly consider with your selues how pitifully you haue bene abused in the time of Papistrie and by Gods * commaundement giuen straitly to the contrary and by this place of the Prophete now read Learne you how wickedly and how displeasantly you haue done in his sight Consider this O Iacoh Israell for thou art my seruant c. Nowe God returneth to an other warning and comforting of his people that seing the Idols of the Gentiles and all that worship them seeme they for the time neuer so prosperous are in deede in the sight of God vaine wicked and odious and seing that he is the gracious Lorde that hath Made them Preserued them * Chosē them to be his seruants * redeemed them and forgiuen their sinnes That they should not * feare nor starte * from hym by any temptation or affliction but in their hartes reioyce and giue thankes continually for this hys great goodnesse and mercie towarde them which is such as not onely they but also in their behalfe * Heauen Earth Mouutaines Woods Trees and all the other creatures of God should triumph and be gladde of and giue glorie and praise vnto hys name Towarde the ende he doth in plaine and flatte wordes renewe the promise of their deliuerance from Babilon and sayth he will fulfill the words of his seruants the Prophets and that their Citie Ierusalem should be repayred again their Temple buylded and that it should be done by a king of the Persians named Cyrus Surely this is a notable place to confirme the certainetie of Gods prouidence in disposing of things and the * truth of his worde and Prophets in foretelling the same For these wordes were vttered by the Prophet long before Cyrus was borne From the death of Esaie vnder Manasses vnto the birth of Cyrus was aboue an hundred yeres and a good space before the Citie of Ierusalem was destroyed the people ledde captiue into Babilon yea when the Iewes themselues for the most part coulde not be perswaded that such misery should come vpon them and therfore hated and persecuted the Prophets and when as yet no man coulde dreame that eyther the Empire
should fall from the Babilonians being now in their great pride to the Persians which were yet of no great name or that there shoulde one rise among the Persians whose name should be Cyrus Then I say so long before in so vncredible and so vnlikely a time was this promise and prophesie vttered to the great assurance of Gods truth and mightie prouidence not onely in this matter but in all partes of his holy worde giuen vs by the same spirite of truth that this was The 1. Sunday after the Epiphanie at Euening prayer Esay 46. BEl is fallen Nabo is broken downe whose images were a burthen for the beasts and cattell to ouerlade them and to make them wearie 2 They are sunke downe and fallen together for they maye not ease them of their burthen therfore must they go into captiuitie 3 Hearken vnto me O house of Iacob and all ye that remayne yet of the house of Israell whom I haue borne from your mothers wombe brought you vp from your byrth 4 It is euen I which shal beare you vnto your last age I haue 〈◊〉 you I will also nourishe you beare you and saue you 5 Whome will ye make me like or to whome wyll ye make me equall or compare me that I should be like him 6 Take out siluer and golde out of your purses and way it and hire a Goldesmith to make a God of it that men may knéele downe and worship it 7 Yet must he be taken on men shoulders and borne and set in his place that he may stande and not moue out of his place and if one crye vnto him he giueth no answere and deliuereth not the man that calleth vpon him from his trouble 8 Consider â—hys well and be ashamed go into your owne selues 9 Remember the things that are past since the beginning of the worlde that I anâ— God and that there is else no God yea and that there is nothing like vnto me 10 In the beginning of a thing I shewe the ende thereof and I tell before things that are not yet come to passe My deuise standeth stedfastly stablished and I fulfill all my pleasure 11. I call a byrde out of the East the man by whom my counsayle shall be fulfilled out of straunge countries as I haue spoken so will I bring to passe assoone as I thinke to deuise a thing I doe it 12 Heare me O ye that are of an hie stomacke but farre from righteousnesse 13 I shall bring forth my righteousnesse it is not farre and my health shall not carie long away I will lay health in Sion and in Israel my glorie The Exposition vpon the xlvj of Esay Bel is fallen Nabo is broken downe whole images were a burthen c. FOr somuch as GOD by his Prophets had threatned that Hierusalem should be destroyed and the people ledde Captiue into Babilon Esay in this chapiter and others doth instruct and exhort such as were faythfull of the people of God that they should not be * offended wyth their owne 〈◊〉 that God for the it offences had sient vpon them al it with the * prosperitie and successe of Babilon and so by that occasion fall from the worshipping of the true God to the Idols of the Gentils Therefore he here denounceth that Bel and Nabo the great golden Idols of the Chaldees in whome they put their trust shall be pulled downe and caried away in Cartes vpon beastes backes by Cyrus and the Persians in the conquest of Babilon and in the transferring of the Empire vnto the Persians That meaneth he when he sayth Their Image shall be a burthen for the beasts c. and that the same being made of Golde were so heauie that they should wearie euen strong cattell and cause them to sinke vnder the burthen Hearken vnto me O house of Iacob and all ye that remaine yet of the c. God doth here warne his people againe what great difference is betweene the vaine Idols of the Gentiles and himself who hath euer had * care for them and preserued them euen like a most tender mother yea farre more carefully and tenderlye then any carnall mother can doe * For as the mother beareth the childe in the wombe bringeth it forth into the worlde feedeth cherisheth and keepeth it so long as it is not able to prouide for it selfe so when it commeth to age shee shaketh a great part of her care away But God beareth vs in the purpose of his Election bringeth vs forth with the knowledge of our redemption in Christ Iesu feedeth and cherisheth vs with the continuall foode of his heauenly doctrine saueth vs and caryeth vs in his armes from all daunger by the might of his prouydence that not onely in infancie and yoâ—ng age as mothers doe but in olde age and in all Times as It maye well appeare by the preseruâ—â—â—on 〈…〉 his Church euen in these latter and daungerous dayes against all the assaultes of 〈◊〉 and hys instruments Whome will you make me like or to whom will ye make me equall c. Seing that the tender mercie and goodnesse of God towards his people is such as he hath declared he doth here sharpely reproue them that forsaking his true worship prescribed in hys law seeke to honor him in Idols and Images and thereby to make hym so * vyle that they compare and resemble hym to the basest of hys creatures And therefore he doth here againe deride and scorne their industrie and readinesse to bestow all maner of * cost and charges and to pull out of their purses Golde Siluer to set forth Idolatrous worshipping of God by Images whereas they will make great daunger to bestowe anye thing to aduaunce Gods holy worde and true worship according to the same This is a notable place against all such as seeke to defende the vse of Images by saying that they doe not thinke them to be Gods nor worship them as Gods but that they doe worship God in them by them For here you vnderstande that God neither will be * resembled by any Image nor worshipped in it For first the making of Images to worship of directly agaynst the commaundement of god and secondly he cannot be pleased wyth any worship 〈…〉 which is directed to him in in 〈◊〉 Name of 〈◊〉 Only * sonne Christ Iesu and not vndâ—r the pretence of any Image Remember the things that are past since the bâ—ginning of the worlde c. This is an exhortation to such of his people as were inclined to the worshipping of Images Remember sayth he that which I haue tolde you of the vanitie of Idols and Images and consider that they haue their beginning of mortall * wicked men not hable to helpe themselues and that I your God am * euerlasting without beginning and without ending knowing and vnderst anding all things and that there is no Image
deedes of wickednesse and the worke of robberie c. By these words that folow it may well be gathered what he ment by the former figuratiue Speech For he saith Their counsailes are wicked counsailes * harme and destruction is in their wayes This is the plaine effect of the Cockatrice Egges But the way of peace they knowe not in their goings is no equitie c. They hate peace and quietnesse and be altogether giuē to Strife Cōtention Variance Iniury and violence Yea all their deuises and wayes are so crooked and ouerthwart that they tende to trouble and businesse so that he that followeth them shall neuer be quiet And this is the cause that equitie is so farre from vs and that c. Hitherto the Prophete hath paynted out the vices and wickednesse of the hypocrites that they might the better vnderstande for howe grieuous causes God was displeased with them and that the cause was in them selues and not in Gods harde dealing Therefore he nowe sheweth how great punishments by Gods iust iudgement doe light vpon them for the same First that as they haue * vsed other so they are now by their enimies oppressed with violence and iniurie and the righteousnesse and helpe of God is farre from them and doeth not deliuer them Secondly that where through their hypocriticall fasting without repentance they looked for light that is for felicitie and the brightnesse of Gods helpe and comfort they haue * darkenesse that is aduersitie and certaine token of his heauy displeasure Yea they are wrapped in so great trouble calamitie and miserie as they are vtterly astonied and at their wittes ende and cannot tel what to deuise to helpe themselues but are as men blinde and in great darkenesse that grope by the walles to get out of a maze or intricate place and can finde no way Thirdely that when they see themselues so beset with misery as they can with no shift ease themselues they sometimes * breake out for sorow and roare like a Beare sometime they lament and mourne as a Doue and looke for succour and helpe at the goodnesse of God and yet it is farre from them For seeing they haue deceyued the expectation of God in looking that they should repent meruail though he * frustrate their hope againe in looking for equitie and goodnesse at his hande For our offences are manye before thee and our sinnes testifie c. The Prophet in way of lamentable complaint confesseth the manifolde and great offences of the people which yet they coulde not bee brought in themselues to acknowledge Namely that they departed from the Lorde and rebelled against him with trayterous imaginations and woulde not obey his worde That they vsed falsehoode and dissimulation in their heartes when they spake faire with their tongues That Iudgement and righteousnesse was gone farre from them because truth and equitie was cleane ouerthrowne and could take no place among them Yea right and honestie was so hateful that he which would vpon the feare of God refraine himselfe from euill and not deale in wickednesse as they did was in * daunger to be spoyled Which great enormitie was vnto the Lorde very vnpleasant He sawe also that there was no man righteous and he wondered c. As the Prophete hath shewed before that God of great and iust cause had plagued his people So nowe he declareth that of his owne good and mercifull motion without the helpe or entreatie of any man he is enclined to deliuer them and doth prepare and as it were arme himselfe to be reuenged on their enimies God sayth the Prophete seing and wondering that among all his people there was not one worthie the name of a righteous and iust man that might helpe and entreate for them of his owne strength and goodnesse taketh vpon him to deliuer them And he armeth himselfe with righteousnesse as a Breast plate with health as a Helmet with wrath displeasure as a coate with zeale and ielousie towarde his people as a cloake and so goeth on as a mightie Prince to be reuenged on his enimies in so terrible maner that all the partes of the Earth euen the very Islandes and those that be furthest of shal tremble and wonder at it yea and submit themselues vnto the maiestie of his name When the Prophete sayth that They shall feare the name of the Lorde from the rysing of the Sunne to the going downe of the same Diuerse doe interprete it to be spoken of the comming of the Gentiles all the partes of the Earth to the true knowledge of God when that he should sende his Messias and Sauiour to subdue not onely worldely aduersaries but especially * Satan and all the spirituall enimies of his people which are the stirrers of all trouble and affliction against his Church And in deed in the promise of euery great and notable deliueraunce the Prophete vseth to end it with applying of the same to the deliuerance that should be made by the promised seede and Sauiour of the worlde * For in him and by him all particular promises tooke their effect But vnto Sion there shall come a redeemer and vnto them in Iacob c. As this may be well vnderstanded of the particular deliuerance from the miserie and affliction whereof he hath spoken before So it is especially ment of the general deliuerance and restoring that should be made by Messias For Paule Rom. 11. may seeme so to interprete it although in wordes he be somewhat diuerse following in deede Septuagin interpretes The redeemer of Sion and of those Israelites that turne from their wickednesse and cleaue vnto the Lorde is Christ Iesus who redeemeth them frō Sinne Errour Idolatrie and * all maner of vngodlinesse wherewith they were before ouerwhelmed I wil make this couenant with them sayeth the Lorde My spirite that is c. This couenant God maketh with all the faithfull not onely of the house of Iacob but of all other Nations also and of his whole Church that is that the grace of his holy Spirite and the truth of his Worde and Gospell shall * neuer depart from them Wheresoeuer therefore the Spirite of God is and the truth of his Worde there is his true Church and contrariwise whersoeuer the Church is there is the truth of his Worde and the grate of his Spirite And where his Worde is reiected and mans Deuises followed there is not his true Churche though they glorie in the name of the Church neuer so much This is a notable commendation of the ministerie of Gods Worde and preaching of his Gospell being a portion of Gods couenant with his elect and an vnfallible token of his true Church The 5. Sunday after the Epiphanie at Morning prayer Esay 64. ◠That thou wouldest cleaue the heauens in sunder and come downe that the mountaines might melt away at thy presence
Malice towards him but God vsed their Malice for the instrument of his glorie And God was with Ioseph and he became a luckie man continuing in the c. By this example in Ioseph we haue to learne that God oftentimes Suffereth those that he loueth most deerely and by whome he will set foorth the Glorie of his name to be cast unto * Trouble and Affliction But yet he is so carefull for them that he doth not onely Stay the power of the wicked towarde them but also worketh them Grace Fauour and Credite euen with Heathens and vngodly persons such as this Putifer the Egyptian and the keeper of the prison were So that vnder his * very Enimies he doth preserue hys elect and chosen Ioseph was nowe become a Bondeman and afterwarde is made a Prisoner and yet God increaseth him with his blessings Whereby we may vnderstande that God hath a loue and care of his thoughe they be neuer so base so simple and so Miserable in the worlde And the Lorde blessed the Egiptians house for Iosephs sake c. God for his electes sake doth not onely oftentimes Spare the godlesse and Wicked Persons but also * blesseth them with increase of worldly benefites by that meanes to asswage their furious and Tyrannicall spirites towarde them that they may liue in more Quiet and comfort vnderneath them And after this his master wife cast her eyes vpon Ioseph and saide c. Nowe falleth out a newe temptation to Ioseph by his masters wife through which he was cast into greater trouble then euer he was before In Putifars wife yo haue y example of a wicked and Adulterous woman who although she had a Noble man to her husband that honoured and loued her yet of a sinnefull and shamelesse nature being a Woman Woeth this godly yongman her own Seruant and entiseth hym to horrible Aduterie moued onely therevnto by the good giftes and blessings of God as well in the Bodie as in the minde of Ioseph And in thys her diuelish purpose gyueth not ouer by sundrie repulses but with impudent Obstinâ—â—â— contrarie to the nature of Womanhead contynueth in the same euen to the vsing of Violence to the yong man And when she sawe his Constancie to be such as by no way shée could winne him with shamelesse Malice to cloke and colour her owne wickednesse as the * maner of such persons is she accuseth hym to her husband that he would haue Rauished her and by that occasion caused him to be cast into prison In Iosepth you haue the example as wel of a faithful seruant as of a Chast yong man hauing the feare of God before hys eyes For albeit he were vnmaried in the Heate of yong yeares and prouoked by his Ladie and Maistres at sundrie times watching fitte occasions of secreasie for so lewde a purpose yet could he neuer be wonne to yeelde to such vnthankfull Villanie toward his Maister of whome he had bene intertayned with so great fauour Yea and when by the Malice of the woman the matter was brought to extremitie he rather chose bothe to * leese the Fauour and credite wyth his maister and to abide all Miserie Imprisonment yea and Death also then any way to haue his Conscience touched with so Fowle a sinne before God. And Iosephs maister tooke him and put him in prison in the place c. This was great Lightnesse and rashenesse in Putifar eyther by the blinde Rage of Ielousie or by Immoderate affection and Credite toward his lewde wife without iust and further Examination to condemne a seruant whom he had of long time Tried so Faithfull and profitable and in whome he had seene the euident tokens of Gods Fauour and assistance in all his doings But the Lorde was with Ioseph c. and gotte him fauour with c. God neuer leaueth his but in the * deepest afflictions is with them and procureth them reliefe The thirde Sunday in Lent at Euening prayer Genesis 42. ANd Iacob seyng that there was corne in Egypt said vnto hys sonnes Why gape ye one vpon another 2 And he sayde Beholde I haue heard that there is corne in Egypt get you downe thyther and bye vs corne from thence that we may lyue and not dye 3 So went Iosephes ten brethren downe to bye corne in Egypt 4 But Beniamin Iosephs brother would not Iacob sende with his other brethren for he sayde Lest peraduenture destruction come vpon him 5 And the sonnes of Israel came to bye corne among other that came for there was dearth in the lande of Chanaan 6 And Ioseph was gouernour in the lande solde to all the people of the lande And Iosephes brethren came and bowed themselues with their faces downe to the ground before him 7 When Ioseph sawe his brethren he knewe them and made hymselfe straunge vnto them and spake roughly vnto them saying Whence come ye They answered Out of the lande of Chanaan to bye vittayle 8 And Ioseph knewe his brethren but they knewe not him 9 And Ioseph remembred his dreames which he dreamed of them and saide vnto them Ye are spies and to sée where the lande is weake is your comming 10 And they saide vnto him Nay my Lorde but to bye vittayle thy seruantes are come 11 We are all one mans sonnes and meane truely and thy seruantes are no spies 12 And he sayd vnto them againe Nay but to sée where the lande is weake is your comming 13 And they saide We thy seruants are twelue brethren the sonnes of one man in the lande of Chanaan and behold the yongest is this day with our father and one no man weteth where he is 14 And Ioseph sayde vnto them That is it that I spake vnto you when I sayde Ye are spies 15 Hereby ye shall be proued by the lyfe of Pharao ye shall not go hence except your yongest brother come hither 16 Send out one of you which may fet your brother and ye shall be kept in prison that your wordes may be proued whether there be any truth in you or else by the lyfe of Pharaoye are but spies 17 And he put them altogither in warde thrée daies 18 And Ioseph sayd vnto them the thirde day This doe and liue for I feare God. 19 If you be true men let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison and go ye carie corne to put avvay the famine from your housholde 20 But bring your yongest brother vnto me and so shall your wordes be tried true and ye shall not die And they did so 21 And one sayde to another We haue verily sinned against our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soule when he besought vs and we would not heare him therfore is this trouble come vpon vs. 22 And Ruben answered them saying Saw I not vnto you that you should not sinne against the laâ— and ye would not heare and sée
times past therfore shuld he flée vnto one of the same cities and liue 43 Namely Bezer in the wildernesse euē in the plain coūtrey of the tribe of Ruben and Ramoth in Gilead of the tribe of Gad Golan in Basan of the tribe of Manasse 44 And so this is the lawe which Moyses set before the children of Israel 45 These are the witnesses statutes ordinances which Moises told the children of Israell after they came out of Egipt 46 On the other side Iordane in the valley ouer against the house of Peor in the land of Sehon king of the Amorites which dwelt at Hesbō whō Moises the children of Israel smote after they were come out of Egipt 47 And possessed his land the land of Og king of Basan two kings of the Amorites which were on the other side of Iordane towarde the sunne rising 48 From Aroer which is by the banke of the riuer Arnon vnto moūt Sion which is Hermon 49 And all the plain on the other side Iordane eastward euen vnto the sea which is in the plaine vnder the springs of the hyll The Exposition vpon the fourth Chapter of Deuteronomie Now therfore hearken O Israell vnto the ordinaunces and lawes c. THis whole Chapter containeth nothyng but an earnest exhortation to the children of Israel not only with diligence to harken to the ordinances and lawes of God but also in dede to * obserue and performe the same bicause the lawe of God is a doctrine of practise and not of hearing onely The condition of their reward is added that so they might liue and possesse the lande For the promises of God made to them were * conditionall and depended vpon their obedience vnto his ordinances And in the second verse this is notable that he straightlye chargeth them That they do not adde any thing to his lawe nor Take any thing from it Therby declaring that God will be worshipped onely according to his worde and that all vnnecessarie traditions of mens deuises do * hinder Gods word and carie men from the simple trueth therof The first reason of exhortation that Moyses vseth is the exāple of the great sharp punnishment that God vsed vppon them that reuolted from him fell to the worshipping of Baal Peor the Idoll of the Madianites and Moabites as it is written Num. 25. The seconde reason is in the fifte verse by the aucthoritie of the lawe maker God himselfe For he saith I haue taught you ordinaunces such as the Lorde my God hath commaunded mee and thereby willeth them so to esteme the lawes not as the commaundements of * men onely but of God that appointed them The third reason is in the. 6. 7. verses by the renowne and fame of great wisdome and of the singular fauour and ready helpe of God toward them which shoulde be spred of them among all nations to their great comfort and commendation In the. 9. verse hee concludeth with admonition that they should not only themselues diligently remember the lawes of God but also * instruct and teach their children and posteritie in the same Speciallye the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb. c. In these verses is contained an other reason to moue thē by the remembrance of the * terrible manner and solemne maiestie that God in their sighte and hearing dyd vse in the publishing of his lawe with thunder and lightening earthquake with fyre cloudes and darknesse In so muche that they confessed themselues not to be * hable to abide the dredful maiestie therof as it is largely declared in the .20 of Exodus Take therefore good heede vnto youre selues as parteining vnto c. He straightly chargeth them to beware vpon daunger of their soules health that they did not make vnto themselues the Image of anye thing in heauen in earthe or in the water vnder the earth And signifieth that by the wisedome and prouidence of God in the publishing of the law they heard a voyce onely and sawe * no figure least they shoulde take vpon them by that figure to represent God which would not be represented by anye worldly thing This commaundemente he sundrye times repeateth to th ende to beate into their mindes howe odious Idolatry and the worshipping of Images and false gods was vnto him Furthermore the Lorde was angry with mee for your woordes c. By his own example Moises willeth them to beware howe they fell into the displeasure of God by disobeyng his holy will. For if the seueritie of his iustice was so sharpe * toward Moises for a litle mistrust in his promise how much more would it be vpon them if they did fall from his true worshippe to Idolatrie and to the open disobedience of his lawes and ordinances For saith he the Lorde is * a Consuming fire to destroye the obstinate disobedient and a Ielous God that will not suffer his glorye to be gyuen to other When thou shalte beget children c. I call heauen and earth to witnesse c. Moyses in this place moueth them to the diligent obseruing of the law of God by laying before them the threatnings of Gods iustice and * punishments that shall come vpō them for the contrary that is That they should perishe from the land whereunto they were goyng and should not therein prolong their dayes That the Lord shuld scatter them in subiectiō of other nations That he wold giue them ouer to the vnsensible worshipping of stockes and stones the workes of mens hands In which point we of this latter time haue to lerne that the grosse Idolatry that hath growen by pilgrimage and worshypping of Images hath beene the * iust plague of God sent vpon men bicause they departed from the obedience of Gods holy word vnto worshipping of him by their owne deuises and traditions of men If from thence thou shalt seke the Lord thy God thou shalt finde him c. Least when the punishments before mentioned for their offences by Gods iust iudgemente should light vpon them they shoulde dispeire of the mercie of God and so cutte of the occasion of repentance in this place he sayth whē god doth cast thē out into strange nations if they doe * repent them of their wickednesse and seeke after their Lorde and God that he will receyue them to his mercie For God is to his people a mercifull father and not a terrible iudge And * when he punisheth he doth it not to destroy them but by a * fatherly correction to pull them frō their disobedience and wickednesse which whensoeuer they shall doe the bosome of his mercye and goodnesse is ready to receyue them For aske of the dayes that are past c. and aske if euer there came c. There is nothing
the * deliuerance from the tyrannie of Satan sinne and Antichrist * the knowledge of his holy worde * light of his Gospel wherby we are to be made the children of God and * heires not of the land of Chanaan and the fruites and pleasures therof but of the celestiall Ierusalem the kingdome of God and eternall lyfe with Christe Iesu in heauen And if the consideration of worldly benefits might be so good a stay vnto the Israelites how much more ought these to be vnto vs if we think our selues worthie the name of christiās See that you walke not after straunge gods and the gods of the nations c. As the Ievves and by them all other are forbidden to worship straunge gods so are we also to woorship the liuing God with straunge worship that is with any other worship than he himselfe in his holie worde hath appointed We must beware therefore that wee fall not away from Gods true worship * in spirit truth vnto idolatrie superstition and fonde* deuises of men therby thinking to please god For as god is a ielous God and will be worshipped alone and not with other false Gods so is he a seuere God and delyghteth more in single obedience to his woorde than in sacrifice superstition or any of mans deuised holinesse thoughe it seeme neuer so pleasant in the sight of the worlde or to be done of neuer so good an intent * Saule when he spared the fat beastes of the Amalekites for sacrifice might seme to haue done it for a good purpose But God dyd so muche mislyke it that for the same he cast hym bothe oute of his fauoure and out of the kingdome of Israell And when thy sonne asketh thee in time to come saying What meane c. It is not sufficient for vs to know the true worship of God oure selues but we must desyre also to instruct * and teache other and especially oure owne * children that Gods true Religion may be deliuered from hande to hande and so be enlarged to our posteritie How farre from this are a greate number of suche as will be called Christians and neither can nor will teach theyr sonnes and daughters themselues nor yet procure them to bee instructed by other no nor to come thyther where by order they are appoynted to bee taughte the principles of christian faith Surely it muste needes be thoughte they haue small feare of God little sense of the mysterie of oure redemption in Christe no regarde of the good estate of their chyldren or of the saluation of their owne soules They should teache theyr children in lyke manner as Moyses here commaundeth the Iewes and saye We were of oure selues and of oure* owne natures as bondeslaues and subiecte to Sathan synne and Hell And it pleased Almightie God of his exceeding greate mercie withoute any regarde of woorthynesse in vs to sende downe his only and dearely beloued sonne from heauen to take fleshe of the blessed virgin and here liued in this worlde in great contempt and reproche and at the laste was put to moste cruell death by his passion paying the ransome for oure sinnes and for vs satisfied the Iustice of God. So that we by* him are nowe reconciled to God haue remission of our sinnes and in his sight are reputed iust and appoynted heires of eternall lyfe wyth Chryste Iesu For thys cause doe me* assemble togyther in the house of Prayer and vse the Sacramentes and mysteries of oure Religion thereby to call into our remembraunce this vnestimable benefite and to* giue thankes vnto him for the same and to pray for the assistance of his holy spirite that in all vertuousnesse and holynesse of lyfe we may shewe our selues thankefull and studie to liue according to thys our holye vocation that the name of God maye in vs bee praysed This I saye shoulde they teach their children to make them to vnderstande why they be called Christians and what the substance of true religion is The fourth Sunday after Easter at Euenyng prayer Deuteronomie 7. WHen the Lorde thy God shall bring thée into the land whither thou goest to possesse it and hathe caste oute many nations before thée the Hethites the Gergesites the Amorites the Chanaanites the Pherezites the Heuites and the Iebusites seuen nations greater and myghtier than thou 2 And when the Lorde thy God hathe sette them before thée thou shalte smyte them and vtterly destroy them and make no couenaunt with them nor haue compassion on them 3 Thou shalte make no mariadges with them neyther giue thy daughter vnto his sonne nor take hys daughter vnto thy sonne 4 For they will deceyue thy sonne that he should not folowe mée and they shall serue straunge gods and then wil the wrath of the Lorde waxe hotte agaynst thée and destroy thée sodeinly But thus ye shall deale with them ye shall ouerthrowe their aulters and breake downe their pillers cutte downe their groaues and burne theyr grauen Images wyth fyre 6 For thou arte an holy people vnto the Lord thy God the Lord thy God hath chosen thée to be a special people vnto himselfe aboue all nations that are vpon the earth 7 The Lord did not set his loue vpon you nor choose you bicause ye were mo in numbre than any people for ye were the fewest of all people 8 But bycause the Lorde loued you and bicause he wold kéep the othe which he had sworne vnto your fathers therfore hath the Lorde brought you out through a mightie hande and deliuered you out of the house of bondage from the hande of Pharao king of Egypt 9 Vnderstande therefore that the Lorde thy God he is God and that a true God which kéepeth appointment and mercie vnto them that loue him and kéepe his commaundementes throughout a thousande generations 10 And rewardeth them that hate him to their face so that he bringeth them to naughte and doth not deferre the time but rewardeth him that hateth him before his face 11 Kéepe thou therefore the commaundementes and ordinances and lawes which I commaunde thée this daye that thou do them 12 If ye hearken vnto these lawes and obserue and do them the Lord thy God also shall kéepe vnto thée the couenant and the mercie whiche he sware vnto thy fathers 13 He will loue thée and blesse thée and multiplie thée he wil also blesse the frute of thy wombe and the fruite of thy lande thy corne thy wyne and thyne oyle and the increase of thy kine and thy flocks of shéep in the land which he sware vnto thy fathers to giue thée 14 Thou shalt be blessed aboue all nations there shall be neither man nor woman vnfruitfull among you nor any of your cattell shal be barren 15 Moreouer the Lord wil take away from thée all maner infirmities and will put none of the euill diseases of Egypt which thou knowest vpon thée but will sende them vpon
said by laying examples of their owne wickednesse and rebellious stomackes against him The first is their dealyng at Horeb Exodus 32. when Moises was gone vp into the mountayne and there taried fourtie dayes to receyue the exquisite instruction of the law of GOD and to bring with him the two Tables of the tenne commaundementes They in the meane tyme forced Aaron to make thē a Golden Calfe to worshyp The seconde is their offendyng at the burning place Num. 11. where GOD consumed many of them with fyre The thirde was their murmuryng for lacke of water Exodus 17. at whyche tyme GOD gaue them water out of the rocke The fourthe was at the Sepulchers of luste Num. 11. when they longed for fleshe and GOD gaue thē Quailes to eate an whole moneth together vntyll it came out at their noses againe The laste is at Cades Barne Num. 13. When at the returne of the Messengers they murmured against God and against Moises desired to returne into Egipte The foure latter examples are onlie briefly touched in verse 22. 23. The first he stayeth long vpon from the .8 verse to the .21 reciting almost the whole story out of Exod. 32. but altering the order of some particular poyntes of whiche before I spake I thinke good briefly to note that if the children of Israell in no respect of their owne worthines were made heires of the land of Cbanaā and partakers of his earthly blessings muche more we maye not thinke that the Misterie of our redemption Reconciliation to God Remissiō of sinnes Iustification before God Assignement to euerlasting life is bestowed vpō vs as manye haue wickedly taught in regard of anye part of oure owne good workes and weldoynges but throughe fayth in the free mercye of God for the merite and passion of our Sauiour Christ Iesu You be saued sayth Saynt Paule Ephesians 2. By grace throughe faithe and that not of your selues for it is the gifte of God not of your vvorkes that no man may glorye The glory then hereof muste be giuen to God alone It is a thyng of farre greater worthynesse to attayne Remission of Synnes and The Kingdome of Heauen than it is to possesse the land of promyse and felicitie in the worlde It is a thyng muche farther aboue the power of man to conquer Sinne Sathan Deathe and Hell than it was to subdue the children of Anac Therfore as I haue said if they were forbiddē to respecte their owne power or worthynesse in those things that were the lesse and but onely figures of other muche more are we by Gods worde in like manner charged in those that are the greater things and the truth of suche as the other did but onely signifie Also in Horeb you prouoked the Lorde to anger so that the lord c. This is the first example of their transgression at Horeb in making the Golden Calfe In which it shal be good to consider what their offence was how much God was displeased therwith howe Moyses their gouernour behaued himselfe As touching the first although * mans corruption destitute of the grace of God is very prone euē to the grossest Idolatry yet it is hardly to be thought that the Israelites who so lately before had sene so many wonderous workes done as well in Egipte as in the wildernesse by the myghtye hande of the liuing God woulde now sodainly be so bewitched as to forsake him vtterlye and in steede of him worship a Golden Calfe and * attribute to it those benefites that they had receyued of God before the Calfe by themselues was made It is rather lykely that bycause they thoughte Moyses was nowe gone and therefore the lesse esteemed the forme of Religion by him declared they woulde haue a worshipping of God of their owne deuising and an Image as they thought in which they myghte honour hym For suche is the grossenes of mans wytte that he thinketh he hathe not God present wyth hym nor dothe not rightly worshyp him vnlesse it be in some visible forme of hymselfe deuised If they did worshippe the Calfe as God it was in them an exceeding furie and astoniednes of common reason and sense If they dyd onely worshippe God in the Calfe and thoughte some diuine holinesse therin as it is moste likelye yet it was a greuous offence and directly against the * fyrst commaundement whiche was giuen them by GOD with greate maiestie and terrour but a litle time before For in the fyrste commaundement God dothe not onelye forbydde straunge Goddes but also straunge worshyppyngs of GOD deuised by man contrarye to hys holye worde They brake also the couenant that * before they had condescended vnto to followe the worship of GOD appoynted in hys lawe and not to departe from it wherefore ouer and besyde their Idolatrous worshippe they myght be estemed false traiterous and forsworne persons in the syghte of GOD. Gods displeasure then was iuste agaynste them for they were as he sayth a * stifnecked people that by no meanes woulde be kepte in hys true obedience and therefore purposed vtterlye to haue destroyed them and to haue put oute the name of them from vnder Heauen Yea he was exceedyng angrye also wyth Aaron and woulde haue destroyed hym in like manner bycause he was so timerous and fainte harted that for any cause he wolde yelde to be their instrument or helper to worke Idolatrye This offence of the Israelites God opened firste vnto Moises saying Thy people vvhiche thou haste broughte oute of Egipte haue sore offended they are turned at once oute of the vvaye that I commanded them c. And wyth all declareth his greuous displeasure towarde them that for their detestable wickednesse he minded to take them from the face of the earth Then Moises as a good gouernour carefull for that people which God had committed to him fell downe before the Lorde making earnest intercession for them said O Lord god destroy not thy people and thine enheritance vvhich thou hast deliuered through thy great goodnes c. By whose example we also are taughte the forme of true and Godlye prayer grounded vpon the promyses of god For God had sayde that he had chosen the Israelites for hys peculiar people and that he would by mighty hand deliuer them to the end that he myght set forth the glory of hys name through all the worlde He promysed also to the Patriarkes Abraham Isahac and Iacob that he woulde preserue them and their seede and giue vnto theyr seede the land of Chanaan Vpon these promises doth Moises with a strong faith ground his prayer and earnestly* presseth God with the same and that he woulde not goe frō these promises though the stifnecked people had deserued the contrary Adding also the great reproche that might rise to his name among the heathen from whence they came that is the Egiptians who wold say That their God vvas not
the Iewes But for that it is an ordinarie time appoynted for the people of God to assemble heare the declaration of those maruellous workes of God which as at thys tyme were done after the Ascention of Christe into Heauen For then dyd Christe declare and confirme the Maiestie and trueth of hys Gospell wyth wonderfull Miracles So that it was euidente that he onelye was the trewe Messias and Sauioure that the same Holy Ghost had spoken of manye yeares before vnto the Patriarkes and Prophetes And bycause at the tyme of Pentecost when the Holye Ghost was giuen the Gospell firste began to be published we may not thinke that one or two Festiuall dayes is appointed for the perfourmance thereof but from that first Pentecost vntill the worldes ende should be to vs one perpetuall VVhitsonday in which we should wyth thankesgiuing reioyce for our spiritual fredome and take in the fruites of Christs blessed Passion and Resurrection Thou shalte obserue also the feast of the Tabernacles seuen dayes c. This Feast of the Tabernacles or Tentes was Solemnised the .15 of September when they had not gathered in all their fruites graine and wine All the tyme of this Feast for the space of seuen dayes they dwelt in Tentes or Bowthes of grene trees and obserued sundry ceremonies and oblations declared Num. 28. 29. Leuit. 23. and other where The causes of the ordinance were partly to put them in mind of their former Condition Whence they came and that it was God that firste made them to dwell in Tentes in the wildernesse whē he brought them out of Egipt Secondlye that they mighte remember the wonderfull miracles and benefites that God did in maintayning and Preseruing them vntill they came into the lande of Chanaan where they founde in steede of Tentes and Tabernacles goodlye strong Cities and faire houses to inhabite and by this occasion were they willed to compare the Felicitie that they shoulde be in the land of Chanaā with the Necessity hard state that they had before when they were constrained to inhabite in Bouthes Tabernacles and thereby learne not to waxe insolent but to giue thankes to God the Authour of that great blessing None of these Feastes might be Solemnised in any place but where the Lord had chosēto set his name would especially be called vpō that as I haue said in the time of Dauid was Hierusalē Before that where the Tabernacle of God was Iudges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy Cities which the Lord. c. Now Moises addeth certaine politicall orders and instructions for choise of cōuenient Magistrates in their common weale and for the sincere vpright dealing therin For seing the Iudgemēt Seate of y Magistrate is as it were a sanctuary a place of reliefe succour for the succourlesse the poore and needy and other whatsoeuer persons oppressed by iniurie it might seme most lamentable if they comming thither for succour shuld light vpō Theues Robbers that wil sell right for gaine and money Therfore Moises willeth Magistrates Iudges in anye wise to beware of* Partialitie Briberie as y thing that shutteth vp the eyes of discretion and wisedome and corrupteth al true Iudgement For saith he Gifts doe blind the eyes of the vvise and peruerte the wordes of the righteous Thou shalte plante no Groues of anye trees neere vnto thee c. The heathen vsed to plante Groues of wood about the Chappels of their Idols sometime made Pillars to set their false Gods on wherefore bicause God will haue his Religion not to agree with the Idolatours worship of the Gentils he briefely forbiddeth those two things Trinitie Sundaye at Morning prayer Genesis 18. ANd the Lord appeared vnto him in the plaine of Mamre and he sate in his tent doore in the heate of the day 2 And he lift vp his eyes and loked and lo thrée men stoode by him and when he sawe them he ranne to meete them from the Tent doore and bowed himselfe towarde the ground 3 And said Lorde if I haue now founde fauour in thy sight passe not away I pray thée from thy seruant 4 Let a litle-water I praye you be fet washe your féete and refreshe your selues vnder the trée 5 And I will fet a morsell of bread to comfort your heartes withall and then shall you goe your wayes for therfore are ye come to your seruant And they said Doe as thou hast said 6 And Abraham went apace into the Tent vnto Sara and said Make redy at once thrée measures of fine meale kneade it and make cakes vpon the hearth 7 And Abraham running vnto his beastes fet a calfe tender and good and gaue it vnto a young man and he hasted to make it ready at once 8 And he toke butter and milke and the calfe which he had prepared and set it before them and stoode himselfe by them vnder the trée and they did eate 9 And they saide vnto him Where is Sara thy wife He answered Beholde in the Tent. 10 And he said I will certainely returne vnto thée if I liue and so Sara thy wife shall haue a sonne That hearde Sara in the Tent doore which was behinde him 11 Abraham and Sara were both olde well stricken in age and it ceassed to be with Sara after the manner as it is with women 12 Therefore Sara laughed within her selfe saying Now I am waxed olde shall I geue my selfe to luste and my Lord olde also 13 And God saide vnto Abraham Wherefore did Sara laugh saying Shall I of a suertie beare a childe whiche am olde 14 Is anye thing vnpossible to God According to the time appoynted will I returne vnto thée if I liue and Sara shall haue a sonne 15 Then Sara denyed it saying I laughed not for she was afraide And he saide It is not so but thou didst laugh 16 And the men rising vp from thence loked toward Sodome and Abraham went with them to bring them on the waye 17 And the Lorde sayde Shall I hyde from Abraham that thyng whiche I doe 18 Seyng that Abraham shall surely be a greate and a mightie nation and all the nations of the earth shal be blessed in him 19 I knowe this also that he will commaunde hys children and his housholde after him that they kepe the way of the Lord and to doe iustice and iudgement that the Lorde maye bryng vpon Abraham that he hath spoken vnto him 20 And the Lorde sayde Because the crye of Sodome and Gomorrhe is greate and because their sinne is excéeding gréeuous 21 I will goe downe now and sée whether they haue done altogether according to that crye which is come vnto me and if not I will knowe 22 And the men departed thence and went to Sodomewarde but Abraham stoode yet before the Lord. 23 And Abraham drew neare and said Wilte thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked 24 If there be
might seme to be touched with some Feare of God but yet not so greatlye but that they feared the Prince more and especially the multitude of them And therefore did they put the matter so vnto him that they would not doe otherwise than stoode with his Pleasure Some of them did more Freelye deale with the King as Elnathan Dalaiah and Gamariah and in his most vehement rage with some Danger of their owne state liues perswaded intreated him not to Burne the booke But nothing could staie his Furie but that before he had hearde it redde through eueÌ„ in Contempt of God of his worde and Threatnings he out it in peeces and cast it in the fire When God in the wordes of his Prophete did so terribly Thunder in the eares of the king he should haue bene Greatly moued therwith and haue * Rent tore his garments in token of the inward feare and Sorow of his hearte knowing most assured Danger to hang ouer both him and his kingdome But after the maner of Indurate hartes as a furious beast he Rageth eueÌ„ against God himself thinketh by Fire as it were to Consume his Threatnings If he thought it to be the doyng of poore Hieremie onely why did he make so great accompt of the matter and shew himselfe so much grieued therwith seyng he knewe that so contemptible a person as he iudged him to be coulde not of himselfe worke hurte to him or to his realme If his conscience trembling at the matter dyd tel him that the Authoritie of God was in those wordes why did he so furiouslie storme at the thing as thoughe he had bene hable by his rage to haue Discountenanced the wrath of God toward him and his people But cruell Hipocrites haue euer some * pretenses of reason to bolster vp their obstinacie against God his Prophetes and therefore caused he Hieremie and Baruch to be sent for if God had not hyd them and by his prouidence kepte them from his furie and wicked purpose For God vseth to preserue his Messengers from danger and perill euen maugre the heades of all his Enemies vntill their full and appointed time be come that his Name may be glorified his Truth enlarged by their Death Nowe after the King had burnte the booke and the sermons which c. The wicked persecuters thinke by crueltie and violence to Suppresse and Extinguishe the worde of God and his trueth but by his prouidence it riseth more Strongly against them to their greater confusion Ioakim thoughte by casting the Booke of Hieremies Prophecies into the fire he had as it were cutte of the hande of God and deliuered himselfe and his kingdome from those plagues that weare denounced by those * Seditious and Factious men as he toke them Hieremie and Baruch But beholde that he and all his mighte vnderstande that he struggled in vaine and stroue againste the streame the prouidence of God publisheth another booke containing not onely the same matter but also an euidente declaration of Gods iuste Iudgement and sharpe punishment to come vpon that wicked King and his stocke that is that his owne deade Corpse shoulde be caste forthe contemptuouslie withoute Buriall as is saide in the former Chapiter and that none of his issue and generation in righte descente should sit any time in the throne of Dauid after him For Iechonias his Sonne raigned onely three monethes and was ledde away Captiue so that he might scantly seme to haue raigned and Sedechias was his Vncle and was set vp in despite of him and his Sonne Iechonias or Ioakim after whoÌ„ they had no King of that directe liue but Zorobabel vntill the comming of the Messias Christ Iesu who was The yong branche that sprang a freshe out of the olde vvorne stocke of Iessie as oute of a roote that had not flourished in manye yeares before Yea and he assureth both the King and al his people though they did neuer so contemptuously refuse to hearken to his worde that he woulde visite their wickednesse and bring vpon them all those euils that he hath promised In like maner God in al ages dealeth with the persecuters of his word and holy Scriptures and neuer more than in these latter dayes The enemies of the Gospell haue thoughte to suppresse Gods trueth by burning the godly writings of learned men and by destroying the Preachers and professours of the same with fire and with the sworde shedding their bloude most cruellie But the prouidence of God raiseth other euen of the ashes of them that doe as constantly teache and defende his truth euen to the faces of them and maugre their heartes publishe the Gospell in writing more largely thaÌ„ euer it was before And so wil it be vntill God bring their iuste deserued plagues vpon their heades though they in the meane time to the heaping of his greater wrath vpon them in furious rage kill and sâ—ea some of his Saintes which he hath appointed that way to glorifie his name The .16 Sunday after Trinitie at Morning prayer Ezechiel Cap. 2. ANd then said he vnto me Stâ—nde vp vpon thy féete O thou sonne of man and I will talke with thée 1. And the spirite 〈…〉 when he had spoken vnto me and set me vpon my féete so that I hearde him that spake vnto me 3 And he said vnto me Thou sonne of man I sende thée to the Children of Israel to a rebellious people which haue rebelled againste me both they and their forefathers haue wickedly behaued themselues againste me euen vnto this verye daye 4 For they are children of a harde face and stiffe heart I doe send thée vnto them thou shalte say vnto them Thus saith the Lorde God. 5 And whether they will heare or refuse for they are a rebellious house yet they maye knowe that there hath bene a Prophet among them 6 And thou sonne of man feare theÌ„ not neither be afraide of their wordes for briers thornes are with thée and thou doest dwell among scorpions feare not their wordes nor be abashed at their lookes for they are a rebellious house 7 And thou shalt speake my wordes vnto them whether they will heare or refuse for they are rebellious 8 Therefore thou sonne of man obey thou all things that I say vnto thée and be not thou rebellious like the rebellious house open thy mouth and eate that I giue thée 9 And I loked and behold a hand was sent vnto me and loe in it was a roule of a booke 10 And he opened it before me and it was written within and without and there was written therin lamentations and mourning and woe The Exposition vpon the .ij. Chapter of Ezechiel And then saide he vnto me stand vp vpon thy feete O thou sonne of man c. IN the firste Chapiter of this Prophete in a vision was declared what He was of how greate aucthoritie that called Ezechiel that is the Omnipotente and euerliuing
the colour and maintenaunce of their Doings and deale Fiercely in wordes and countenaunce with them that Teache the contrarie as the Papistes and other Aduersaries doe at this daye agaynst the true Ministers of god But they must Comfort them selues and as he willeth his Prophete Ezechiell in this place not be afrayde nor abashed thereof It is the ordinarie meanes of them that bee Enimies to GOD and to his Truth If in the heate of their Spirite they call vs Schismatikes Heretikes vnlearned vile contemptible yea dogges and dounghilles of the Earth yet must wee not bee so Ouerthrowne therwith as for it to leaue our office and duetie of Teaching vndone but rather with great Constancie set our selues agaynst their waywarde Wickednesse and By the Povver of God and armour of Righteousnesse passe through honour and dishonour good reporte and euill and neuer yelde or giue place to the Stubburne Enimies Though they bee as Thornes vnto vs and euery way Moleste and greeue vs though they bee as Scorpions and wyth the venim of their sclaunderous tongues poysonously stinge vs yea oftentymes vnto verie death yet muste wee remember that in this place God speaketh to Ezechiel Feare not their vvords but speake my truth vnto them vvhether they vvil heare it or refuse it Therefore thou sonne of man obey thou all things that I saye vnto thee c. There is none meete to be the Messenger of God and the teacher of his people but suche a one as hath bene firste Taught of him and at His hande learned his holie Will and the mysteries of his Truth Therefore the Prophete is here willed To open his mouthe and to eare all that the Lorde doth giue him that is That hee shoulde Faythfully receyue at his Hande and diligently Imprinte in his Memorie and in his Hearte digeste all the woordes that the Lorde shoulde speake vnto him For so God sayth to him in the 3. cap. verse 10. This booke is described to bee written vvithin and vvithoute that is to Conteyne muche and Plenteous matter touchyng the Children of Israell and all bytter and vnpleasaunt shewyng the Signes and tokens of Gods wrathe agaynst them so that they coulde Conceiue nothyng thereof but matter of Sorrovv Mourning Lamentation and VVoe For seing the Sweetenesse of his Promises coulde not allure them he endeuoreth to breake their Stubborn heartes wyth the terrible Threatnings of his displeasure In the .8 Verse God armeth his Prophet agaynst an other Temptation wherwith the myndes of many are caryed awaye and enclined eyther not to Receyue the woorde of God or when they haue receyued it to Reuolte from it againe and that is the Consent of the Multitude thinking the contrarie Wherfore hee sayeth vnto Ezechiell Obey thou all things that I shall saye vnto thee and bee not lyke this Rebellious house I knowe it maye seeme an Harde tentation to thee to teache the contrarie of that which they all thinke and defende to bee true and with a verie * few good men to stande against the whole multitude and Consent of them which are called and compted my People But I tell thee what soeuer they Pretende and howesoeuer faire Titles and tokens they haue had of my Fauoure they are a Stiffenecked and rebellious People whiche vnder their faire Pretenses sette them selues agaynste mee and my Holie will. Therefore beeware thou be not like them nor Yelde not to their Consente and Multitude but cleaue faste to my woorde and to that I saye vnto thee * For one man with my Truth is better and more to be credited than the whole World agreeing in the contrarie The lyke Instruction god vsed to Esai cap. 8. warning him That hee should not vvalke in the vvay of that people nor speake vvordes of Conspiracie that is of CoÌ„sent or agreement in one opinion VVhen this people shall say Conspiracie be not afrayde of them but sanctifie the Lorde of hoastes and let him be your feare and dreade S. Peter in his first Epistle cap. 3. verse 14. 15. alludeth to the same place confirming the faithfull against the Conspiracie and agreement of the Ievves in Persecuting the Gospell It behoueth vs also in these latter and perilous dayes in so greate a multitude conspiring against the worde of God and the profession of his Truthe to arme oure selues with the same weapons of Comforte wherwith we see God furnished his Prophetes and Apostles against the countenaunce of the whole worlde This sending foorthe of Ezechiell is more largely declared by the Prophete hymselfe in the thyrde Chapiter The .xvj. Sunday after Trinitie at Euening prayer Ezechiell 14. THere resorted vnto me certain of the â—â—ders of Israel and sat downe by me 2 Then came the word of the Lorde vnto mée saying 3 Thou sonne of man these men haue sette vp their Idols in their heartes and put the stumbling blocke of iniquitie before their face shoulde I then answere them at their request 4 Therfore speak vnto them say vnto theÌ„ thus saith the Lorde God Euery man of the house of Israel that setteth vp his Idols in his hearte and putteth the stumbling blocke of his iniquitie before his face and commeth to the Prophete vnto that man will I the Lord my selfe giue answere when he commeth according to the multitude of his Idols 5 That the house of Israel maye be snared in their owne heartes because they be cleane gone from me all of them thorowe their Idols 6 Wherfore tell the house of Israel thus saith the Lorde God Returne and cause to returne from your Idols and turne your faces from all your abhominations 7 For euery man whether he be of the house of Israel or a stranger that soiourneth in Israel which departeth from me and setteth vp his Idols in his hearte and putteth the stumbling blocke of his wickednesse before his face and commeth to a Prophete for to aske counsell at me through him vnto that man will I the Lord giue answere by mine owne selfe 8 I will set my face against that man and will make him to be an example for other yea and a common by word and will roote him oute of my people that ye maye knowe howe that I am the Lorde 9 And if that Prophete be deceiued when he telleth a thing then I the Lorde my selfe haue deceiued that Prophete and will stretche oute my hande vpon him to destroy him out of my people of Israel 10 And they shal be punished for their wickednesse according to the sinne of him that asketh shall the sinne of the prophete be 11 That the house of Israel may wander no more from me neither be any more defiled in all their transgressions but that they may be my people and I their God saith the Lorde God. 12 And the worde of the Lorde came vnto me saying 13 Thou sonne of man when the land sinneth against me by committing a trespasse I will stretche out my hand vpoÌ„ it and breake
vnto him but cause other also to doe the like Wee are taughte the manner and nature of true repentance whiche throughe the feare of God hating wickednesse himselfe cannot abide it in other but by all the meanes he can seeketh to refourme the same and especiallye if his Conscience tell him that the same persons in anye parte haue bene misledde by his example I will set my face against that man and will make him to be an example c. Forsomuch as Threatning prophecies doe nothing at all or very litle moue the mindes of them that be obstinate because they thinke thē to be as it were Thunder without Lightening and vaine terroure withoute effecte therefore God declareth to them by his Prophete that the things be not so earnestly spoken but that they shal be as effectually put in execution And that he will in dede Set his face that is his countenance and whole power agaynst them and not onely make them a by worde and common Prouerbe vnto al men but cleane root them out of the number of his people that they may right well knowe that he is not onelye a threatning but also a Iuste and a punishing God whiche will in dede perfourme that that he hath spoken in woorde And bycause it mighte be that notwithstanding the Threatnings of Ezechiell they had some comforte in the sayings of their false and flattering Prophetes whiche framed themselues to speake vnto them things altogether delectable and pleasant God willeth them to take hede thereof for that their wickednesse in his iust Iudgement had deserued to be Deceiued by suche As Achab had bene long before againste Gods true Prophete Micheas The wicked haue alwayes their hirelings and flatterers that vpholde and maintayne them in their errours contrarye to the Messengers of God and the Teachers of his holye worde And that happeneth vnto them by their Iuste deserte because they haue before time so stubbournely disobeyed God when he called them by his true Ministers This is it that Sainte Paule saith that God woulde suffer the wicked in the latter dayes to be seduced by false Teachers Bicause they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued and therefore vvould send them strong elusions that they shoulde beleeue lyes Many at these dayes doe harden themselues by like perswasions against the Preachers of the Gospell Oh saye they there be a Number of other learned mē that Teach otherwise thā they doe and in suche a time of contention and diuersitie of opinions Howe can we knowe what is the truth Let them therfore striue among themselues wee will liue and beleeue as we haue donne before time But they should learne by this place of Ezechiel that suche diuersitie of opinions troubles in Doctrine and Religion doe not happen in the church by Chaunce or fortune but by the Woorking and prouidence of God for the punishmente of the Sinnes of his people and especially for their waywarde neglecting and contemning of the worde of God Preached vnto them And therefore shoulde they be the more Carefull studious and diligente bothe in reading the Scriptures and in Praier to God that they might vnderstand the truthe and not so easyly eyther be Confirmed in Superstition or caried awaye to falshoode and Errour And they shal be punished for their wickednesse according to the sinne of c. As hee before had sayde that the People for their Stubbornesse shoulde bee plagued so here hee declareth that the lyke shoulde fall also vpon the false Prophetes And so proueth it true that Christe sayth If the blynd leade the blynde they shall both fall into the ditche The False teachers speak many things that they knowe to bee otherwyse than Truth and the Obstinate people will not abyde to heare them that vtter the truth and so Truthe depraued of the tone and refused of the tother pulleth Gods heauie Iudgemente vpon them bothe That the house of Israell bee led awaye no more from me through errour c. As God to the benefite of the faithful doth suffer false Prophetes and teachers and other Schismes and troubles to ryse among his people that their Faith maye bee the vetter tryed and proued So doth he to their lyke cōmoditie oftentimes greeuously Punishe bothe the false Teachers and Suche as giue credite to them For by that meanes the Faithefull and electe which through weakenesse and frayltie did before stagger and doubt in their consciences are confirmed and euidētly vnderstand the Iudgemēts of God in them Therefore sayth God That the house of Israel may be led no more c. By the House of Israell he dothe not note the whole people for among them were the Seducers and the People seduced but the Electe of God and those that were of the true seede of Abraham of which happily many were for the tyme Misseled by the false Prophets the example of other And now by the smart of their Punishement being quickened and as it were wakened out of their errours they looke more diligently and carefully vnto the truth of God and retourne from their Corruptions into the whiche they had bene carryed awaye before and beeing nowe Ioyned to the Couenaunte of God agayne become his People and Hee their God. And the woorde of the Lord came vnto me saying Thou sonne of man c. The Iewes were greatly stayed from Repentaunce by an hope and confidence that they had in the Prayers of holie men whiche they thought did liue among them Oh sayd they The Earnest prayers of so many Godly men and women as vndoubtedly are of the Iewes must needes be heard and obteyne fauour with God and to cause him to withdrawe his Plagues and punishmentes This Vayne confidence God by his Prophet in this second parte of the Chapiter taketh from them For where as he hath Foure plagues whiche he is determined to bryng vpon them that is Famine Wylde beastes the Sword and the Pestilence he doth assure them that if Noe Daniel and Iob or the Holiest men that euer liued were at this tyme amongst them they shoulde not by theyr Prayers in any one of these Plagues obtaine pardon for any but for themselues only No not for their owne sonnes and daughters or suche as were nighest to them muche lesse shoulde they be hable to preuaile by their Prayers now when God in his Iust displeasure shall cast vpon that wicked People not any one but all those Foure Plagues together When men go on forewarde in their wickednesse it is but a peruerse and vayne persuasion to thinke they shall escape the punishemente and Plagues of God by the Faith and Prayers of other They muste Repente themselues if they will looke to haue God turne his wrathe from them God speaketh fyrste seuerally of euery one of these Plagues and still addeth that Noah Daniell and Iob should not be hable to deliuer any but their owne soules Vers 13. 15. 17. 19. In the one and twentie
say vnto them thus sayth the Lorde God Yet in this also your fathers haue blasphemed me and grieuously transgressed against me 28 For after I had brought them into the lande for the which I lifted vp my hande to giue it vnto them when they sawe euery high hill and all thicke trées they offered there their sacrifices and there they presented their offering of anger there also they made their swéete sauours and powred out their wine offerings 29 And I saide vnto them What is that high place wherevnto ye resort and the name of it is called Bamah vnto this day 30 Wherefore speake vnto the house of Israel thus sayth the Lord God Are ye not defyled in the waies of your fathers and commit ye not whordome after their abhominations 31 For when ye offer your giftes and make your sonnes to passe through the fyre you are polluted with all your Idols vnto this day shall I answere you when I am asked O house of Israel As I liue sayth the Lorde God I will not be sought of you 32 And that vvhich commeth into your minde shall not be at all which you say We will be as the Gentiles as the kinreds of Countreys to serue wood and stone 33 As truly as I liue sayth the Lord God I my selfe will ruâ—e you with a mightie hande with a stretched out arme and with indignation powred out ouer you 34 And I will bring you from the people and gather you out of the countreys wherein ye are scattered with a mightie hande with a stretched out arme and with indignation poured out 35 And I will bring you into the wildernesse of the people and there I wil be iudged with you face to face 36 Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wildernesse of Egypt so will I pleade with you also sayth the Lord God. 37 I will cause you to passe vnder the rodde and I will bring you into the bonde of the couenant 38 And I will purge out of you the rebels and them that transgresse against me and bring them out of the lande of their habitation as for the lande of Israell they shall not come in it that you may know how that I am the Lorde 39 As for you O house of Israell thus sayeth the Lorde God Go you and serue euery man his Idols séeing that ye obey not me and pollute no more my holy name with your giftes and your Idols 40 For vpon my holy hill euen vpon the hie hill of Israell sayth the Lorde God shall all the house of Israell and all that is in the lande worship me and in the same place wil I fauour them and there wil I require your heaue offeringes and the firstlings of your oblations with all your holy thinges 41 I will accept your swéete sauour when I bring you from the Nations and gather you togither out of the landes wherein you haue bene scattered that I may be hallowed in you before the heathen 42 And ye shall know that I am the Lorde when I shall bring you into the land of Israell into the land for the which I lift vp my hande to giue it vnto your fathers 43 There shall ye call to remembraunce your owne wayes and all your workes wherein ye haue bene defiled and ye shall be cut of in your owne sight for all your wickednesse that ye haue done 44 And ye shall know that I am the Lord when I deale with you for my names sake and not after your wicked wayes nor according to your corrupt workes O ye house of Israell sayth the Lorde God. 45 Moreouer the worde of the Lorde came vnto me saying 46 Thou sonne of man set thy face towarde the way of Themanah and drop thy vvorde towarde the south and prophecie towarde the forrest of the south fielde 47 And say to the forrest of the south Here the worde of the Lorde thus sayth the Lorde God Beholde I will kindle a fire in thée that shall consume all the gréene trées with all the drie the continuall flame shall not be quenched and euerie face from the south to the morth shall be burnt therein 48 And all fleshe shall sée that I the Lorde haue kindled it and it shall not be quenched 49 Then sayd I Ah Lord God they say of me Doth not he speake parables The Exposition vpon the .xx. Chapter of Ezechiel In the seuenth yeare the tenth day of the fift Moneth certaine of the elders c. THe Iewes as is sayde in the former Chapter quarreled with God and thought it extremitie that theyr Fathers wickednesse shoulde be punished in them Wherfore in this place the Prophete declareth that as there fathers were euill and rebellious against God so were the children and posteritie also and therefore that they were iustly plagued by him in respect of themselues as well as of their fathers In the verie enterance of this speech he sheweth at what time and by what Occasion he preached this vnto them In the seuenth yeare sayth he c. that is from the captiuitie and banishment of Iechonias in Babilon For from that time as it appeareth in sundrie places they began their account partly to call to remembrance the Heauie iudgements of GOD agaynst them for their sinne partly to Comfort themselues with the promise of deliuerance after .70 weekes or yeares prophecyed vnto them by Hieremie and Daniell The occasion of this speach of Ezechiel is the same that was in .14 Chapter that is the comming of the Elders of Israel vnto him to haue answere from God of their estate and captiuitie that they were in They pretended to reuerence the Prophete as a father and instructer and that they were desyrous to learne at his hande what they should hope or what they might doe but meaning nothing lesse then syncerely to follow his teaching For if they had so purposed they woulde long before haue left those things with which God by his Prophets declared that he was greatly Displeased With like affection came they to Hieremie to consult of their fleeing into Aegypt but when hee had tolde them Gods will they would not beleeue him but followed their owne phantasie * Sedechias also coniured the same Hieremie to tell him plainly the will and purpose of God but when he heard it he made no account of it but by the motion of his Nobles cast him into prison With like affection oftentimes the Priestes the Scribes the Phariseyes the Saduces the Herodians came vnto Christ but neuer soundely to learne but rather take him in trip and thereby to worke him daunger In like sort many at this day pretende with fayre face a Loue of the truth and a Fauour of the Religion published according to the worde of God and therefore will come to Sermons and to seruice and when it serueth for their purpose will Speake agaynst Papistrie and with wordes vpholde the truth but with howe sounde minde and conscience their